


(I need your love before I fall)

by kinskins



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: BTS and SJ members are there, Dorks in Love, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Getting to Know Each Other, Homophobic Language, How Do I Tag, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, M/M, Slow Build, Some Side Pairings, oh Super Junior being great big brothers here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-08
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-08-13 22:17:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 57,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7988104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinskins/pseuds/kinskins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jihoon confessed on wanting to come out to his brothers and to the rest of the family for ages and something had triggered him during the wedding ceremony but this hadn’t been what he had wanted to happen. Jun bought him a strawberry milkshake and Seungcheol sat next to him, still holding his hand for comfort.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. PREQUEL

**Author's Note:**

> Hi again.  
> I write silly stuff. Again. 
> 
> I have had wanted to write a fake dating fic forever and yeah. This happened.

****  
Seungcheol wasn’t sure when it had actually started, maybe some drunken ideas thrown around but they had been wedding crashing since then. It might have been Vernon’s idea, he was the stupid fuck when high and Mingyu was easily pulled along and Jun didn’t do anything to stop them. Seungcheol just tagged along.

This weekend’s wedding was picked out by Jun who thought it would be great to crash one of their university teacher’s wedding. They had no idea who the groom was but as Seungcheol sipped from his glass, he was sure the man was someone way too popular and well-known for them to be there. He had already spotted a long list of musical actors and singers and higher ups from the university. 

Vernon had his back turned towards the crowd as he spoke to Seungcheol, tapping the table in front of him nervously. 

“The groom is Boo’s Performing Arts teacher, we went to see his play once… I don’t know if this was a good idea… “

Seungcheol hummed in his agreement, eyeing the crowd. Usually their wedding crashing was fun, and even if they got caught of crashing (if the couple wasn’t too uptight) they could keep crashing. Most of the times weddings were entertaining and they usually brought some money along to give to the couple and if the mood was right, they could do an impromptu performance. They weren’t studying in the Seoul’s most prestige university of performing arts for nothing. But this might have been their mistake as Seungcheol turned around after he spotted one of his own instructors among the wedding guests.

Mingyu poked his leg under the table.

“Guys, can you bring me some food?” 

Vernon groaned. “This is stupid, get up!”

“I can’t! I have too many of my teachers here! And I swear I spotted some of my brother's friends too! They will know immediately that I was not invited!”

“I thought you were loved by all, Mingyu hyung.”

Seungcheol snorted and patted Vernon. “Go find Jun and bring Mingyu some food, I will keep him company.” Vernon rolled his eyes but did as Seungcheol told and soon he was gone, disappeared to the crowd.

“This is so nice of you, Cheol hyung.”

“Be quiet, I don’t want to look like a crazy person if I talk aloud by myself.” Seungcheol stated behind his glass and he heard Mingyu to whine. This was kind of exciting but somewhat horrifying at the same time. It would be a story to tell either way, if they got caught or not. Seungcheol was staring aimlessly around when his gaze suddenly got caught by a person who was staring right at him.

“Shit.”  
“What?”  
“Be quiet, Woozi is here.”  
“Shit.”

Seungcheol couldn’t move, he could only bite down his lip as Woozi, one of the greatest names in their school, approached him with steady and fast steps. Seungcheol shared Advanced Lyrics class with him and he knew what kind of masterpieces the other could produce but the younger male seemed so cold and indifferent during the class, so hard to approach that Seungcheol never really had had conversations with him. But Woozi seemed to at least recognize him, from the way he stopped right in front of.

“I do know for the fact that you weren’t invited, Seungcheol hyung.”

Ah, straight to the point. Seungcheol smiled sweetly at the shorter male, who pouted.

“I might be crashing but what is that to you, Woozi?”

The way Woozi sneered at him made Seungcheol wonder if the other even liked to be called that.

“It has a lot to do with me, actually, this is my brother’s wedding.”

Seungcheol almost shrieked when Mingyu grabbed his ankle.

“Y-your brother?”

Woozi nodded. “My brother. Lee Sungmin. First born of the long list of Lee’s .“

Seungcheol just stared at the shorter male before him. He should have known but well, there were at least four performing arts teachers in their school. Lee Sungmin was the one who was specialized in musicals (again, Seungcheol should have known, Seungkwan loved musicals) and he was the most known musical actors in the area and Seungcheol had heard how his younger brothers were expected nothing but the same.

He felt Mingyu’s grip on his ankle tighten.

“I didn’t know he is your brother.” Seungcheol spluttered and Woozi rolled his eyes, crossing his arms across his chest.

“I don’t like people asking about my brothers, so it's kind of a low profile thing in school.”

“So that’s why everyone calls you Woozi, your last name would give away who your brother is! A teacher no less!” Seungcheol mused with a grin and Woozi’s eyes narrowed.

“That is not your concern. I bet you aren’t here alone. Is that stupidly tall idiot with you?”

Seungcheol felt Mingyu’s nails dig into his skin.

“Mingyu? Why would he?”

“He does nothing but brags about you all the time.”

“Y-you know each other? I wasn’t aware of that.” Seungcheol was pleased to hear a quiet whine when he kicked his foot back. Woozi on the other hand didn’t seem to notice as he turned to around to glance at the party people.

“We share some classes. I won’t expose you if you do just as I say.”

“Why would you expose me anyway? More the merrier?”

“My brother can pull strings that will make you drop out of the school faster than you can spell my name.”

“I’m pretty good speller, if I must say.”

Woozi snorted and Seungcheol felt happy about himself so he decided to entertain the younger one.

“But sure, so what you want me to do?”

Before Woozi could answer, there was a man in a tailored suit standing right beside them, a polite smile on his face.

“Jihoon, dear, who is this person, you seem to know him.”

Woozi _– Jihoon –_ smiled and suddenly Seungcheol felt a hand creep down his arm, link their fingers together and the smaller body to be pressed against his, fitting perfectly to his side.  
“This, brother dearest, is my boyfriend, Seungcheol.”  
Seungcheol dropped the glass he was holding and the shattering glass hid very well the gasp Mingyu made.


	2. Lunatic Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seungcheol tries to digest what he actually agreed into doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's meet Mingyu's brother and Seungcheol's roommate!

It had been an odd night. 

After Woozi – no, Jihoon’s statement, Seungcheol had been pulled into a heated conversation on how Jihoon was disgracing the wedding and how all he wanted to do was to ruin his brother’s day. Seungcheol had listened, amazed, how the older Lee had spat angrily at Jihoon who was frozen stiffly, listening (or not really) all the bullshit his brother was slurring at him. Before Seungcheol could actually open his mouth to defend his classmate, Jihoon had snapped and pulled out the younger versus older siblings arguments and – it had been a mess (he still had Jihoon’s nail prints on his hand; the hold of younger man had been tight).

Seungcheol still had no idea how Mingyu had gotten out from under the table behind them and out of the wedding venue or how the other two of their little gang had done the same but when he had exited the party with Jihoon (after the older Lee had more or less told them to burn in hell) all three had been waiting for them in the nearest fast food restaurant. Jihoon had almost broken down when had sat down to the booth, next to the wall, leaning against it, and confessed on wanting to come out to his brothers and to the rest of the family for ages before any of them could even ask. Seungcheol had watched Jihoon mumble how something had triggered him during the wedding ceremony but this hadn’t been what he had wanted to.

Jun had bought him a strawberry milkshake and Seungcheol had sat next to him, still holding his hand for comfort. Less than 24 hours ago he had watched Jihoon to go back to the wedding venue (after his mother had called him) and now they had this deal of a fake relationship for Jihoon’s parents and family. Seungcheol had tried to protest weakly but Jun, who had gone through a horrible coming out to his father, made Seungcheol to promise that he would be there if everything was going to come crashing down for Jihoon. Prestige families could be the worst. 

And Seungcheol really couldn’t say no because of Jihoon’s earlier statement to his brother: it would look weird if they weren’t boyfriends.

Seungcheol pulled up to a driveway and pulled the break. Mingyu whistled quietly and made no movement to get out of the car. They had dropped Jun and Vernon off couple of minutes ago, they both lived on the university campus but Mingyu lived with his brother and Seungcheol shared an apartment with his childhood friend.

“This night was… so weird”, Mingyu finally blurted and Seungcheol nodded.

“Tell me about it.”

“So”, Mingyu turned to look at Seungcheol, a grin on his face. “What it feels like to have Woozi as your boyfriend?”

The question was so absurd that Seungcheol burst into a hysterical laughter and soon Mingyu joined him, their laugh echoing inside the car. It took awhile to get it out of their system and as their laughter died down, Seungcheol sighed.

“Man, I don’t even know. He said you share some classes with him. What kind of… person he is?”

Mingyu shrugged, finally getting rid of the seat belt around his body.

“He keeps it to himself, mostly. And even though he is so small, he has so much authority that it terrifies me. I mean, we once had a performing arts class in which we used paint to create stuff and he was only one whose white shirt stayed clean. I mean, who does that?”

Seungcheol hummed, staring aimlessly out of the window.

“He is pretty competitive too. And multi-talented or something. “

“Do you think this was a good idea?”

Mingyu didn’t answer but stared straight at Seungcheol.

“You could have said no.”  
“I know but I didn’t.”  
“You are so nice, hyung.”

Seungcheol opened his mouth but a tap on the Mingyu’s side window stopped him, Mingyu jumped a little, startled.

“God, brother, don’t scare me!” Mingyu roared even if the person outside couldn’t hear him. Seuncgeol snorted and pushed a button to roll down the window and Mingyu’s older brother beamed at them.

“Hello boys! How was the party?”

“It was interesting… why are you out?” Mingyu muttered and Ryeowook grinned, leaning on the window.

“I had a date~”

“Eww, gross hyung!”

Ryeowook laughed and Seungcheol grinned. Ryeowook was almost ten years older than his younger brother but they clicked so well that when Mingyu had started his studies, he had moved in with his brother who had lived by himself at that time. Ryeowook’s steady paycheck from the restaurant he was working kept them both well fed and clothed. Mingyu had once tried to get a part-time job but as soon as Ryeowook had found out, he had forbid it and told Mingyu to concentrate on his studies. He could work all of his life after graduation.

“You should have a date too. Hook up with someone in those weddings, weddings are full of gorgeous people”, Ryeowook teased and Mingyu rolled his eyes.

“Oh! Talking about hook ups! Seungcheol hyung here has a boyfriend now!”

Before Ryeowook could congratulate him, Seungcheol blurted out the story behind the deal. He wasn’t sure why he actually did that but somehow he felt like he couldn’t lie about it to the older Kim, even thou Mingyu gave him a pointed look. The fake relationship deal didn’t start very well if Seungcheol would keep blurting out the truth right away.

Ryeowook stared at him with wide eyes before he carefully asked: “You mean Lee Sungmin’s little brother?”

Both Mingyu and Seungcheol blinked at the older man, who sighed, rubbing his eyes.

“We went to high school together, he is a brick.”

“Oh, well, he seems like a brick”, Seungcheol pointed out, remembering the verbal assault they had witnessed, grasping the steering wheel a bit tighter.

“Well in that case I hope you know what you are doing. Come on Mingyu, let’s go inside.”  
Mingyu groaned but pushed the door open and slipped out of the car.

“See you hyung.”  
“Nights!”

Ryeowook turned to Seungcheol when Mingyu started to make his way to the door.  
“I don’t say you made a bad choice by agreeing on this… deal with Jihoon but…don’t leave him just hanging. There might be so much more behind his actions and you don’t know his reasons, so… be careful, for both of your sake.“ He tapped the side of the car, a smile on his face. “Now, drive safely.”

Drive to home was silent; Seungcheol didn’t bother to turn on the radio. Jisoo was home; Seungcheol could hear the faint sounds of other boy’s guitar as he made his way to his room. He closed the door behind him and didn’t bother to get rid of his clothes, he just slumped down on the bed. It was so soft and Seungcheol sighed closing his eyes. After a while Seungcheol turned around and stared at the ceiling while listening to the faint melody coming from the room next to his. 

If he was honest, Seungcheol was still a little confused by everything that had taken place during the wedding and after it. Even thou the deal with Jihoon might have been a bad choice, both Ryeowook and Jun were right: Jihoon had reached out and Seungcheol had grabbed his hand, offering the escape.

His phone buzzed next to him. Seungcheol glanced at it, wondering who it was.

**[From: XXX-348-129]**  
_Sorry. For dragging you into this mess that isn’t even yours to deal with._

**[To: Jihoonie]**  
_It’s fine._

Well at least Jihoon was still alive. Seungcheol bit his lower lip before texting.

**[To: Jihoonie]**  
_Let’s meet up for lunch tomorrow. We need to get to know each other if I ever end up being negotiated by your folks._

It took almost an hour to get an answer and Seungcheol had almost dozed off since Jisoo had switched into playing slower ballads (fucker was so in love it was sickening). 

**[From: Jihoonie]**  
_I don’t usually do lunch meet ups. I’m too busy._

**[To: Jihoonie]**  
_No worries, I will find you. Text me tomorrow where you at by the lunch time, okay?_

**[From: Jihoonie]**  
_Sure._

__Seungcheol hummed and hid his eyes behind his hand._ _

__If nothing else, Jihoon seemed to be so much more than all the first impressions Seungcheol had heard today. The younger boy felt so much more timid and anxious via messages than in real life._ _

__And from what Seungcheol had experienced today, it felt like the younger boy was holding up some sort of façade for everyone around him. Like he didn’t want anyone to know what he was really like or what he really thought of things. This made Seungcheol a bit sad since he had always been taught to be true to himself. His mother had always encouraged him to love whoever he wanted to and dream big in life. But then again, his family didn’t have famous actors and singers in it, like Jihoon’s did._ _

__Seungcheol rolled onto his side, closing his eyes. Maybe he could get a great friend out of this if nothing else._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just that you know, I love Kim Ryeowook.


	3. Play on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seungcheol and Jihoon talk. Kind of.

Seungcheol wasn’t the fifth year student for nothing and he for sure wasn’t unfamiliar with the many recording and practice rooms of the university but he was getting a little bit annoyed. Maybe he should have guessed that Jihoon was much more familiar with the corridors and rooms considering the fact that Jihoon was rumored to live in one of those.

When Seungcheol had been ready to go and meet the younger man for their lunch date, Jihoon had texted him, saying he was too busy to meet and eat with him. Seungcheol had stared at his phone for a moment, holding two take away bags in his other hand, before storming off. He knew Jihoon was holed up in one the rooms, he had called Mingyu (who he knew had had a class with Jihoon before the lunch time) who had told him Jihoon was seen to be rushing towards the second floor. And now it was starting to look like (after about 20 minutes of running kind of aimlessly around) that the younger man had managed to hide from Seungcheol.

It took some probing but Seungcheol finally pushed open a door to find Jihoon crouched over the piano keys. He glanced briefly at the door, shrugged at Seungcheol’s presence and then his focus was again back at the keys.

“As I thought, you wouldn’t give up after I messaged to you, would you.”

Seungcheol rolled his eyes as he made his way towards the boy, lifting the bags.

“I didn’t know if you preferred Coke or whatever but they had an offer for two for one, so I took it.”

Jihoon glanced at him, his eyes narrowing. It was almost eerie, how Jihoon said nothing and let Seungcheol chit-chat about food as he pulled the containers out and offered them to the younger one.

“What do you want? I told you I don’t have time.” Jihoon finally spat. Seungcheol smirked.

“We agreed on a lunch date, right?”

That made Jihoon snap out of his stillness and he sneered.

“There is no date and technically, I canceled it.”

Seungcheol rolled his eyes and watched with interest when Jihoon turned back to his keys, starting to press them again.

This was _the_ Jihoon Seungcheol and the rest of the school knew: arrogant, hard to approach and indifferent. But there was something more under the cold interior of the younger man. Seungcheol could still remember the day before and how Jihoon’s hold of his hand had been desperate, needing even, craving to be noticed and cared for. It was ridiculous how the small boy in front of him wanted to keep up some sort of façade with Seungcheol, even thought they were no one else in the room, just the two of them.

Seungcheol shrugged, sitting down cross-legged and started to open the containers, revealing some fries and burgers, easy and tasty to eat.

“Okay, so no date then. But we do have the deal, you know?”

Jihoon closed his eyes. Seungcheol hummed. He needed to be carefully with his approach of the matter.

“And because you are being difficult, I have to ask, what I actually gain from this situation? You being a brick at me?”

Jihoon ignored the jab and shrugged, without looking at Seungcheol.

“Nothing. You can walk away now and we will never talk about this.”

Seungcheol hummed, pretending to consider what Jihoon had said.

“Don’t be stupid. I am a man of honor. I will walk with you through this… whatever growing up story of yours this is. Also Jun would skin me alive.”

Jihoon snorted and Seungcheol saw how his shoulders dropped a bit, tense muscles relaxing.

“And even if you tried to hide from me, we still should talk about this, really.”  
Jihoon’s fingers tapped the piano keys aggressively but he said nothing so Seungcheol continued.

“I mean, what do you want us to work from here? Do I get to meet the parents of my sweet boyfriend or what?”

“Probably, since my parents won’t believe me being gay without actual proofs. Or my brother will invite you to some stupid party he holds every other weekend.”

Seungcheol was starting to get annoyed by the keys pinging aggressively.

“Can we make out in front of your parents or brother then?”  
“Keep dreaming, Choi.”

Seungcheol laughed.

“So, basically, we should figure out some basic stuff about our fake relationship, like the story behind how we met.”

Jihoon sighed, still pressing the keys.

“My parents won’t be interested in questions like that.”

Seungcheol hummed, observing the fries. “Mine will.”

Although Jihoon had been pressing the keys basically without a song in mind, he now played so wrongly that Seungcheol grimaced, glancing up at Jihoon who had (finally) turned to look at him, his eyes wide open.

“What?”

Seungcheol grinned widely, happy about the attention.

“I mean, I can’t lie to my parents. And they will hear about this some way or other. Or what about my friends? Don’t think this is just a one way deal, Lee Jihoon. “

Jihoon opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out and Seungcheol took that as a moment to offer some fries towards the younger one.

“Eat, it will make everything better.”

It was an offering of trust, meaning that Seungcheol was there to help, not to make everything worse for Jihoon, to show that he wanted to be friends with the boy. After a moment or two, Jihoon finally sighed deeply and slide off from the chair to sit near Seungcheol and took the fries.

“My parents are shit. My oldest brother is shit. You just have to go with the flow, follow my lead and we will walk out of this alive.”

“So basically you just want me to do as you say, right?”

“Yeah, hold my hand, hug, whatever when I initiate it.”

Seungcheol hummed.

“Okay and how long we will keep this up?”

Jihoon didn’t answer and Seungcheol didn’t probe. They ate in silence for a moment until Jihoon closed his eyes. He took a deep breath before opening them again and his gaze was nailed with Seungcheol’s.

“I honestly don’t know. I repeat myself: you can walk out of this now and we will never talk about this. I will come up with some shitty lie and all will go back as it is.”

“And I repeat myself: don’t be stupid.”

Seungcheol hold Jihoon’s gaze before continuing.

“If I may say, the way your brother acted in front of us, I can’t leave you to deal this alone. I… have seen what hateful acts can do to the family members and you… no one deserve a treatment like that.” Seungcheol reached out and took hold of Jihoon’s hands.

“We can be friends, I mean. And I can be pretty convincing with my acts of affections so I’m easily pulled along whatever you will initiate.”

Jihoon stared down at their linked hands.

Seungcheol leaned forward, to see Jihoon’s face.

“Friends?”

It stung a bit when Jihoon pulled back and Seungcheol was forced to let go of his hands.  
However, Jihoon nodded slowly.

“Friends.”

Seungcheol smiled gently as Jihoon resumed to eating in silence. Maybe one day they could laugh at all of this and Jihoon would be happy, with or without Seungcheol at his side.  
After they had finished eating (Seungcheol learned that Jihoon was avid Cola consumer) and lined out hazy lines of the story behind their first meeting involving a shared project group and their start of dating, Seungcheol grinned.

“I am going to walk you to your class and you can’t do anything about it.”

Jihoon rolled his eyes. “Really? I can walk back by myself.”

“But that is not what a great boyfriend like me, let my cute boyfriend like you, do.”

Jihoon snorted but stopped by the door and turned to look back at him.

“So? Are you mister charming boyfriend coming or not?”

Seungcheol laughed, pulling himself up to his feet and jogged after Jihoon.

It must have been a sign, a lone wolf Woozi having a company none other than mister nice smile Choi Seungcheol strolling around the school, talking and Seungcheol even pulled a small grin out of Jihoon with his story about Mingyu and their cooking adventures. After Jihoon was safely inside the class room and Seungcheol made his way to his own, he could hear the first whispers. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of rumors there would be by tomorrow.

 

\----

 

Seungcheol didn’t need to wait until the next day to hear the first of the rumors. He was lazing on the couch, his notebook perched up in his lap, a page filled with disoriented lyrics when the front door opened and Jisoo walked in, Jeonghan following behind.

“Oh! Welcome back!”

Jisoo hummed his greetings, making his way to the kitchen. Jeonghan grinned slyly and swept his way to sit next to Seungcheol.

“So, I heard couple of things today.”

“Do you maybe want to share?” Seungcheol grinned back and Jeonghan stared at him.

The pretty boy laughed before lifting his legs above Seungcheol’s.

“You were seen to make the great Woozi laugh today.”

“Hmm, might be true.”

Jeonghan leaned closer, tapping Seungcheol’s shoulder with his slender fingers.

“He isn’t your type and he is anything but charming so I have to question you a little about this.”

Seungcheol hummed, a smile still on his lips.

“We just click, you know.”

“Hard to imagine”, Jeonghan murmured, his fingers drawing circles near Seungcheol’s ear. He tried to shoo Jeonghan off but the other one just laughed. Jisoo emerged from the kitchen and without missing a beat sat on the other side of Jeonghan, leaning against pretty boy’s shoulder.

“Did I interrupt anything?”  
“Nothing really. But did you hear, Cheollie here was seen being friends with Woozi.”

Jisoo hummed. “Jihoon is nice.”

“Oh, he is nice to you because no one can be mean to you,” Jeonghan snapped and Seungcheol turned to look at Jisoo.

“You know Jihoon?”

“We shared some classes earlier this year. He was really helpful with the chords.”

Jeonghan rolled his eyes. “He is a little witch.”

Jisoo sighed. “It was just that one time, Jeonghan, and it wasn’t even Jihoon’s fault.”

“I should have been the leader of that group and not him. I mean, I’m more charismatic and social than he ever will be”, Jeonghan murmured, leaning into Jisoo’s touch as the other one pulled his fingers through Jeonghan’s hair.

“But you managed to please the professor anyway, even with your disagreement, right?” Jisoo hummed and Jeonghan closed his eyes, nodding, enjoying the treatment he was receiving. Jeonghan was weak when you pulled your hands through his hair and both Jisoo and Seungcheol knew that.

“I’m missing something here now, am I?” Seungcheol blinked at them questioning.

“Jihoon got the position as a leader of this one project group he shared with Jeonghan. And you didn’t like it a one bit, right?” Jisoo mused, rubbing his fingers on Jeonghan’s forehead. Seungcheol snorted.

“And that’s why you don’t like him? How petty of you. Or is it that you don’t like the fact that I’m his friend?”

Jeonghan gave him a pointed look. “Are you friends, really?”

“He is nice!”

Jeonghan narrowed his eyes.

“You don’t even share a class with him.”

“We have common friends!”

Before Jeonghan could say anything more, the door bell rang and Jisoo pulled Jeonghan up with him.

“The food is here. I’m sorry Cheollie, I didn’t know if you had eaten already so we didn’t order for you.”

Seungcheol waved his hand. “It’s okay, I had noodles earlier.”

The rest of the night was blissful, Jeonghan forgot the Jihoon matter right after he got the food and they spend a relaxing night watching TV and playing around with Jisoo’s guitar. Around midnight Seungcheol phone informed them about incoming message.

**[From: Jihoonie]**   
_I have two tickets to the Everland. We are going there tomorrow. Clear your schedule._

Seungcheol snorted before typing his answer.

“Why are you smiling so stupidly?”

“Oh, just got a message from Woozi. He politely informed me that we are going to an amusement park tomorrow. “

Jeonghan’s eyes narrowed.

“And you agreed?”

“Well, friends spend time together. I mean, we spend time together.” Seungcheol wiggles hid finger between the three of them.

“Sounds like a date to me”, Jisoo mused without missing a beat and Jeonghan looked even more judging.

“You wouldn’t.”

Seungcheol just hummed, concentrating on Woozi’s answer; time and meeting place information. It could be fun, even if amusement parks weren’t his ideal place to be, he was yet to visit Everland this year and he could skip tomorrow’s lecture.

Jeonghan groaned, leaning his head on Jisoo’s shoulder, poking Seungcheol’s tight with his feet.

“Why are you so keen to be his friend? He is such a grumpy guy.”

Seungcheol hummed, not really listening as Jisoo started to lecture Jeonghan for not judging the book by its cover.

Why indeed.

Why did he pay so much attention to a boy who most likely didn’t even want to be his friend? Seungcheol looked at his hand, his fingers and the dirt underneath the nails.

Maybe it was because he still couldn’t forget how Jihoon had held his hand or the feeling of disappointment when Jihoon’s hand had slipped away from his.


	4. Bloom for me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a date.

The day didn’t go as he had wanted it to go. When it had been almost the time to leave for his date with Jihoon, Seungcheol had received a call from the younger man. It was about how Jihoon wanted to change the meeting place and Seungcheol had been fine by it, but he should have had checked it out before driving off. Because now he was tapping  
the wheel with his fingers as he waited Jihoon to pick up his call. 

 

 _“Yeah?”_  
“You must be joking, right? Is this where you live?!” Seungcheol lashed out, all frustrated. He could hear how Jihoon moved around the room.  
_“Oh. You were fast. Come up.”_  
“What?”  
_“Come up, ring the bell and charm whoever opens the door.”_  
Seungcheol just stared out of the window, mouth wide open.  
“We didn’t agree on this! You planned this!”  
_“Do it.”_ There was some urgent in Jihoon’s voice so Seungcheol gave up, sighing.  
“It’s not your parents, right?”  
_“No. Thanks.”_  
And the line went dead.  
Seungcheol groaned, pulling his hand through his hair to calm himself down. This was ridiculous. He took couple of deep breaths before stepping out of the car. The stone way to the front door was surrounded by finely cut lawn and some bushes for the visual barrier. Nothing out of the ordinary but Seungcheol had imagined it to be at least somewhat guarded, considering whose house it was but maybe the area itself guaranteed the safety because he had spotted the patrolling guard car on his way there. And maybe Jihoon had informed them about his coming but then again, how Jihoon would know what kind of car he was driving? Seungcheol groaned. He didn’t have time to dwell on that matter because he was now standing right in front of the front door of Lee’s. It was kind of imitating but Seungcheol took yet again a deep breath and pressed the door bell. 

 

It didn’t take long and when the door swung open, Seungcheol met with the most curious wide eyes he had ever met. The black haired boy was kind of tall but seemingly younger than Seungcheol or Jihoon so Seungcheol smiled gently at him. He had been told his smile charmed anyone. The boy grinned back and yep, he was most likely Jihoon’s younger brother, that eye smile was the same.  
“Hey! I’m here to meet your brother, Jihoon? Is he home?”  
“Yep. Is that your car?”  
Seungcheol turned to look back at his car (the dark red SUV) the kid was pointing and nodded.  
“Yeah, that’s mine. Can you call your brother for me, please?”  
The kid ignored him, his eyes shining when he stared at Seungcheol’s car.  
“That is a nice car! Are you my brother’s friend?”  
Seungcheol hummed. “Sure.”  
The kid grinned. “Ah, you must be his boyfriend then! Are you going on a date?”  
Seungcheol laughed, ruffling the kid’s hair.  
“You bet! Hey, tell me”, Seungcheol leaned a bit closer, like he didn’t want anyone to hear him, “What is your brother’s favorite food? I’m planning on taking him to the dinner after our adventure in amusement park but I have no idea what he would like.”  
The kid sniggered. “Don’t make him eat anything spicy but he loves Jajangmyeon.”  
“That’s good because I can’t stand spicy food either. Anything else you would like to share?”  
The kid grinned, smiling slyly. “What I get out of it?”  
“I will drive you around in my car next time I come by.”  
Jihoon’s brother’s eyes widened and he clapped his hands excitedly. “We have a deal mister Jihoon’s boyfriend!”  
“Call me Seungcheol-hyung. What about you?”  
“My name is—“  
“Chan? Who… ah, you came already.”  
Both of them turned to meet Jihoon who appeared from behind the corner. Seungcheol almost laughed out loud when he watched with amusement as Jihoon played the role of being surprised by Seungcheol’s appearance. As he pulled his jacket on, Jihoon sneered playfully at his brother.  
“Why didn’t you call me?”  
Chan pouted.  
“I wanted to meet Seungcheol-hyung after Minnie-hyung kept talking about him to mother. “  
Seungcheol snorted when Jihoon dramatically rolled his eyes.  
“Now you have met him, go do your homework or whatever, I will be back soon enough.”  
Chan pouted but moved aside when Jihoon stepped in to put his shoes on. Seungcheol smiled as Jihoon straightened up again. He watched as the older Lee smiled lovingly at his brother.  
“Call me if you need anything.”  
Chan rolled his eyes. “Like I would interrupt your date, I will manage. Bye, Seungcheol-hyung! Hopefully we will meet again!”  
Seungcheol waved his hand. “Sure! It was nice to meet you Chan! Remember, you are now my ally!”  
Chan laughed and to Seungcheol’s amazement, hugged him before running off to inside the house.  
Jihoon roared in laughter when he made his way down the road towards the car. “Your face is priceless!”  
“I wasn’t expecting to be hugged by him! How old is he anyway, he is freakily tall!” Seungcheol roared as he followed Jihoon to the car, pulling the keys out when Jihoon was already climbing inside the car.  
“He is thirteen. He is gigantic. That’s why his nickname is Dino. Anyway, what’s the talk about him being your ally?”  
Seungcheol laughed, pulling the door close behind himself and starting the engine.  
“Oh, that’s our little secret~”  
Jihoon rolled his eyes and Seungcheol pulled off from the drive way.  
“So, ready for the amusement park adventure?”  
“Not really. Actually,” Jihoon bit down his lip, not looking at Seungcheol, “you can drop me off by the Pledis’ Record. I can kill time there before heading back.”  
Seungcheol sputtered. “What?”  
Jihoon gave him a pointed look, yet again hiding behind his stoic mask. “You charmed my brother, your job is done.”  
“Come on, don’t be stupid. “  
“I’m not. Deal is deal, you did what I asked, I’m happy to be myself for the rest of the night.”  
“Don’t be ridiculous! We can use this time to get to know each other. I mean, we are friends, right?”  
Jihoon pouted and turned to look out of the window. He didn’t say anything and Seungcheol wasn’t sure if he should just pull over or drive them somewhere. Frustration from the earlier was coming back and he let out a fretful huff.  
“To be honest I don’t really like roller coasters.”  
Jihoon glanced at him but said nothing so Seungcheol took the matter to his own hands.  
“Let’s go do some arcade games. I know a great place.”  
Jihoon didn’t protest so Seungcheol kept driving until he reached to his destination. He parked the car but didn’t make any moves to get out of the car. Neither did Jihoon who now was tense in his seat, like he was preparing for Seungcheol to lash out at him.  
“Is there even free tickets? Were you lying?” Seungcheol finally spoke out tiredly.  
“I do have two free tickets to the Everland… but just now you said you don’t like roller coasters.”  
“That is beside the point. Your brother?”  
“Chan is the sweetest out of them all, I need an ally. God, you should have heard what mom and Sungmin talk.” Jihoon rubbed his eyes, tiredness evident in his voice and Seungcheol yet again felt something to be breaking inside him. He wanted nothing more than make Jihoon talk and be more open with him. He wanted Jihoon to laugh like he had laughed at the driveway. He sighed.  
“Come on. Let’s use those tickets some other time. Let’s go and have some fun, something to tell your brother, right?” Seungcheol tried to smile sincerely but he knew it would look forced so it wasn’t a surprised when Jihoon didn’t answer to it. They got out of the car and Seungcheol led the way. He had visited the arcade many times but now it felt foreign and uninviting. Jihoon walking not so far behind him felt like a burden he didn’t know how to deal with. 

They passed by a dance machine and Seungcheol decided that he needed to relax and he didn’t skip cram school for nothing in middle school. He turned to look at Jihoon.  
“Want to try that one?”  
Jihoon shrugged when his eyes located the machine. “I don’t really care but I haven’t played in ages. Are you any good at it?”  
Seungcheol laughed, rolling up his sleeves.  
“My tights are for nothing!”  
Jihoon rolled his eyes but followed Seungcheol up to the mats.  
“You know how to play right? Step on the right key when the arrows appear on to screen”, Seungcheol pointed as he started to pick a song. Jihoon hummed.  
“You better take a hold of the bar behind you. It helps to keep the balance.”  
There was a glint in Jihoon’s eyes when the first song started to play. Kind of experimentally but with talent Jihoon manages to clear the song. Seungcheol was impressed.  
“You should try holding it only with one hand, it helps your body to move more freely!”  
“Ah, I see. Let me pick the next one.”  
“Sure. To be honest, you surprised me. That was a good one for the first try.”  
Jihoon glanced at Seungcheol with an amused smile and pushed the start button.  
“Who said this was my first time dancing? I said haven’t danced in ages.”  
The song booming through the speakers wasn’t near an easy one and Seungcheol forgot that he was supposed to dance too when he watched Jihoon to beat the score.  
“Oh you cheated!”  
“Re-match?” The glint was back in Jihoon’s eyes and Seungcheol smiled widely.  
“You bet!”  
It seemed like their previous awkwardness towards each other had vanished into a thin air. Seuncheol was laughing and Jihoon was grinning up to his eyes when they yet again beat one record set up previous players.  
“Damn, that was fun!” Seungcheol grinned, ruffling Jihoon’s hair. “I should have expected that from you but I thought you were more of a singer guy.”  
Jihoon’s smile dropped a bit but he shrugged. “I used to dance a lot when I was younger… take part on battles and such. “  
“Oh! We should go in one then! One of my friends holds open mic nights, along with dance battles! That could be fun!” Seungcheol beamed and Jihoon gave him a crooked smile.  
“Sure.”  
“Hey, you want something to eat?”  
Jihoon shrugged again and Seungcheol lead them to the food stands. The older man pointed out some dishes even thou Jihoon still kept shrugging to every suggestion he made. Seungcheol was getting frustrated but then he spotted Jihoon eyeing the meat snacks. Seungcheol grinned and pretended to observe the stand. It was almost too easy to get Jihoon’s preference for the meat out of him and after Seungcheol had paid he moved away and eyed the snacks on next food court. When the lady gave the snack to Jihoon, he turned around, holding the stick in his hand.  
“Hey, your food is here…!”  
Seungcheol waved his hand, his eyes glued on the treats inside the display.  
“I told you to pick that one, it is yours.”  
Jihoon gaped at him but when Seungcheol turned to look at the younger man after he had ordered his food Jihoon was munching the meat away with a pleased smile on his face. Seungcheol grinned, pointing at him playfully.  
“See, you are enjoying it, aren’t you.”  
Jihoon hummed and they continued their way, munching away their snacks.  
“Oh! I want to get a toy!” Seungcheol rejoiced when he spotted one of those machines where you could use a crane to get a toy. Jihoon snorted, finishing the meet.  
“Sure. It looks fun.”  
“Let’s make this interesting. Whoever gets the toy on first try can ask the other one do truth or dare.”  
“What are you, five?” Jihoon rolled his eyes but followed Seungcheol towards the machine.  
“ Come on! I promise I won’t ask anything too personal.”  
Jihoon huffed but took the spot in front of the handles.  
“You are so sure you will win. Watch me.”  
“Oh I will”, Seungcheol hummed, smiling as Jihoon leaned over the machine, biting his lower lip in concentration. He yelped as the crane moved even without him touching the handles. Seungcheol burst out into laughter.  
“You didn’t get it!”  
“But it moved on its own! I didn’t do anything!”  
“Oh man, this is hilarious!” Jihoon puffed and Seungcheol mock wiped his eyes and Jihoon pouted at him. “Okay, I’m feeling generous so you can try again.”  
The younger man beamed at him and Seungcheol grinned.  
“Ooh! Did you get it?”  
“Wait! Just a little bit... Yes!” Jihoon grinned, his eyes shining when he watched the crane to drop the toy which got stuck near the opening. Seungcheol burst into laughter and Jihoon huffed annoyed.  
“Okay, but now when you get your toy we will get mine too.”  
“But if I get them both, I get to ask the truth or dare from you.”  
Jihoon pouted but nodded. “Okay, fine.”  
Seungcheol cheered and took his place in front of the handles. He could feel Jihoon move closer, not close enough to touch but close enough to make Seungcheol feel a little bit anxious. It felt like Jihoon himself wasn’t aware how close he was standing when he observed Seungcheol to catch both of their toys from the machine.  
“You can do it.”  
“Are you that eager to answer my question?”  
“Just get the toy!” Jihoon whined, slapping Seungcheol’s shoulder gently. The older man sniggered but gave his attention yet again to the game. And soon enough Seungcheol let out a wild yell.  
“I got it on one shot!”  
Jihoon clapped and took the small penguin from Seungcheol.  
“I wanted the candy thou. But it wasn’t big enough to push that penguin out.”  
“I will buy it to you.”  
“Hmm. Okay. But don’t think I will let you out from the truth and dare thing.” Seungcheol grinned and Jihoon rolled his eyes.  
“Do you have anything in mind or are you going to keep me in suspense?”  
“I will come up something before we end our date”, Seungcheol sing-song and Jihoon quirked his eyebrows but this time didn’t comment on them being on a date and Seungcheol felt suddenly super giggly. They spend the rest of their time wandering around the game area, not really inventing to play more games. Seungcheol learned that Jihoon was easily pulled out from the shell when they started talking about music. For Jihoon it was almost as important as breathing and Seungcheol smiled gently as he watched the other one talk about something he found interest in. 

 

And when Seungcheol finally parked his car outside the Lee house, he could say it had all been worth it.  
“I will walk you up to the door.”  
Jihoon rolled his eyes as he pushed the car door close.  
“You don’t have to.”  
“I am perfect boyfriend like that. Maybe I got to meet Chan again”, Seungcheol grinned, jogging after Jihoon who had started to walk towards the door.  
“You are such a…”  
“Gentleman? Perfect boyfriend?”  
“So full of yourself!” Jihoon laughed but then he stopped suddenly and Seungcheol almost bumped into him.  
“Ugh, you should go back.”  
“Huh?”  
Jihoon nodded towards the house and Seungcheol spotted a curtain to move. ”My brother is watching. Other than Chan.”  
Seungcheol felt suddenly brave. The mere idea of the older Lee watching them, judging whatever Jihoon did made Seungcheol’s insides boil. Because now Jihoon’s face was frozen, stoic and his eyes were almost like he was dead inside.  
“Hey.”  
Jihoon stopped and Seungcheol took a step forward, taking a hold of Jihoon’s hand.  
“I’m going to claim the dare now.”  
Jihoon’s eyes widened comically but Seungcheol didn’t let that to stop himself. He moved swiftly, his other hand coming up to Jihoon’s neck. He turned the younger man’s face gently to the left, leaning forward and planting a kiss on Jihoon’s cheek. When he was about to pull back, they heard the front door open.  
“Jihoon!”  
Jihoon pulled back but this time he didn’t draw away his hand from Seungcheol’s hold. Their eyes met and Seungcheol squeezed Jihoon’s trembling hand.  
“Call me when all is clear, okay?”  
Jihoon nodded and opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. And the younger man made no movement towards the door where Seungcheol could see Sungmin waiting.  
“Jihoon!”  
That made Jihoon to snap out of whatever inner turmoil he was having and he squeezed Seungcheol’s hand.  
“I have to go. I will. Call.”  
“You better.”  
Seungcheol let go and Jihoon turned and jogged up to the stairs. Before he entered the house, Jihoon turned around and waved at him. Seungcheol smiled and waved back, trying to ignore the venomous looks Sungmin was giving at him. 

 

\-----

 

Jisoo turned to look at him when he entered the house.  
“You okay?”  
Seungcheol opened his mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came out. He was perplexed. Like something was eating him from the inside, he was feeling uneasy and it was kind of hard to breathe.  
“Was the date with Jihoon that bad?”  
“No, anything but bad actually.”  
“So it was a date?”  
Seungcheol looked at Jisoo who was smiling at him gently.  
“Don’t tell about this to Jeonghan, please. I can’t handle his wits now.”  
“He will find out eventually. So if the date was good, why you look like you have went to hell and back?”  
Before Seungcheol could form any sort of answer, his phone informed him of a message. He pulled the device out of his pocket and stared down at it. 

 

**[From: Jihoonie]**  
_I’m fine. Don't worry. I had fun today._

 

Seungcheol let the air out of his lungs and lumped against the kitchen table.  
“Thank god he is fine.”  
“Is there something I should be worrying?” Jisoo asked carefully and Seungcheol shook his head. It was Jihoon’s deal to tell, and because Seungcheol wasn’t even sure what was going on inside the Lee house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really appriciate all the commets and kudos you have left so far, thank you~~ ♡♡♡
> 
> Also we met another Lee~ And next time we will get more of Mingyu and Ryeowook~


	5. So into you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seungcheol contemplates over his feelings for Jihoon. 
> 
> Alternatively: Seungcheol is falling.

Seungcheol leaned against the wall, his eyes half closed as he watched Mingyu to move around the kitchen. He was tired because the teacher he had skipped a class from, had decided that he needed to do some extra work for the skipped class and it had kept him busy for the last couple of days. And now when he was done with it and had time to do and think other stuff, Mingyu had decided to be an ass about it and whine.  
“Why are you here again, hyung?” Mingyu whined as he dropped the chicken wings into the pot.  
“Your food is good.”  
Mingyu gave him a pointed look.  
“Okay. I need to talk with your brother. About Jihoon’s brother.”  
Mingyu groaned.  
“You are still up with the deal with him?”  
“Hm. We went to a date other day.”  
“Oh. Now you mention it, Jihoon seemed a little bit giddy yesterday when I mentioned you”, Mingyu hummed and Seungcheol perked up. “Did he say anything?”  
Mingyu shrugged, rolling some chicken in the flour while still keeping eye on the chicken that was still in the pot.  
“Not really. That you aren’t as bad as he thought you would be.”  
Seungcheol grinned. He hadn’t talked with Jihoon after their arcade game date, only small waves of hands when they had passed each other’s in the school. Jihoon had looked tired but fine anyway. But something was bothering Seungcheol and he had tried to form messages to send to Jihoon but all of them had sounded so weird and improper so he had decided against it. And so far it had been Jihoon who had initiated the conversation and Seungcheol wasn’t sure if they had passed the line where it was okay for him to start casual messaging with the younger male.  
He wanted to talk with Mingyu’s brother and figure Sungmin out somewhat because he guts told him not to trust the man at all.  
Mingyu rolled his eyes.  
“You seem quite keen to Jihoon.”  
“He is fun to hang out with.”  
“Really? Usually he is so snarky. “  
“Hmm.”  
“And if you are going to keep up with this, shouldn’t you introduce him to us, your friends?”  
Seungcheol gasped.  
“That’s a great idea! Why didn’t he come up with that if he wants to pretend to date me so much?”  
Mingyu blinked at him, fishing the ready chicken from the pot.  
“You know hyung, he doesn’t have that many friends.”  
“Huh?”  
Mingyu yet again rolled his eyes. “I keep telling you, he is snarky and evil. Sometimes hyung, you just don’t seem to notice the obvious things around you.”  
Mingyu had a point. Seungcheol was known to head forward and ask little, so that sometimes blinded him for things worth or essential to see. And sometimes it made things awkward between Seungcheol and people around him. But then again, Jihoon was pretty nice to be around when it was just the two of them that Seungcheol easily forgot the fact that Jihoon wasn’t like that with… well, mostly with anyone else than Seungcheol.  
“Well, I still think it’s a good idea. Hey, when we have our next performance? I could ask him to come and see us!”  
“You are the team leader hyung! You should know”  
Seungcheol laughed boldly as Mingyu whined at him.  
“Okay, I will invite him so you guys have to play along!” Seungcheol pulled out his phone to text Jihoon about the idea and the show. They could maybe even do little dance of if Sooyoung was also going to part take in the show. Seungcheol grinned. He would love to see Jihoon to dance for real. As usual Jihoon didn’t answer him right away but only when Mingyu was pulling plates out and giving Seungcheol orders to set the table.  
“Jihoon agrees! Yes, this is wonderful!”  
“Are you going to pick him up too?”  
“Yeah, he might try to avoid coming if I don’t go.”  
“Hmm? Has he done that before?”  
“Well aren’t you smart one today, Gyu,” Seungcheol pouted and Mingyu rolled his eyes. “I just worry for you hyung!”  
“Don’t, I’m a big boy.”  
Their banter died down when the front door opened and Ryeowook walked in, exhausted but he perked up right away when he saw the food.  
“Ah, what a wonderful brother I have. I assume you are joining for the dinner, Seungcheol?”  
Seungcheol nodded, putting down the plates. “If it’s okay.”  
“More than fine”, Ryeowook grinned, leaving to put his jacket away. “Have you heard of your brother?”  
“He called about week ago. I’m planning on visiting his garrison soon.”  
“Good to hear.” Reyowook pulled the chair for himself and Mingyu started to serve the food.  
“And the little boyfriend of yours? How are things going with him?”  
Seungcheol hummed, wondering how he should bring up Sungmin. Mingyu helped him.  
“He wants to ask about Sungmin. From what I have gathered, it looks like he has been giving them hard time.”  
“Ah, well, not really but…I don’t know him really”, Seungcheol tried to soften his tone but Ryeowook snorted.  
“I would be surprised if he doesn’t give you hard time. “  
“Did you know him well?”  
Ryeowook hummed, stuffing his mouth full with chicken.  
“I’d like to think I knew him quite a well actually. He was couple of years older but we hang out in the same circle of friends. I think it was when he was confessed to that made us fall apart a bit. I mean, a man confessed to him and… yeah.”  
“So is he like, homophobic or what?” Mingyu asked, offering some rice to Seungcheol. Ryeowook hummed again and to Seungcheol it felt like the older man was weighing his answers very carefully before voicing them out even thou Ryeowook was one of the most frank people he had ever met.  
“I think he is fine with people being gay but if it affects him or his life then he can turn out to be quite nasty.”  
“That is so twisted. What is the point?”  
Ryeowook shrugged. Seungcheol agreed with Mingyu but he still had something he would like to voice out but he wasn’t sure how to. He bit down his lip and Reyowook took a notice of that.  
“Something else you would like to know?”  
“Ah. I... I was just thinking… that how nasty he would get?”  
There was underlined imply in there and Ryeowook stared at him for a long while before leaning back.  
“I don’t think he would go that far but I have all sympathies for his brother.”  
“Are you implying he would get violent?” Mingyu putted in, his mouth full of food. Ryeowook slapped him.  
“Don’t speak when your mouth is full. And no, I just said he wouldn’t go that far, he does martial arts for fuck's sake. Don't they teach in those not to hit first?”  
Seungcheol had to agree (he himself learnded taekwondo for seven years when he was younger) but Mingyu didn't waver.  
“But you just think he wouldn’t.”  
“Is there something that makes you think he would, say, hit his brother?”  
Seungcheol shook his head. “I just… got the feeling.”  
Ryeowook groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Feeling doesn’t take you anywhere. Don’t dwell on it too hard. If Jihoon shows any sighs of it, then act.”  
Seungcheol nodded, turning back to his food. The subject was dropped and Seungcheol listened as the brothers started to discuss about food and Ryeowook’s date and ordinary things relevant to their lives. Sometimes Seungcheol wished that his brother was living with him too, but then again it would probably turn out to be disaster. He could have his dinners with Jisoo but it wasn’t the same so he enjoyed joining the Kim brothers for dinners.  
Seungcheol leaned back in his chair when Mingyu started to whine Ryeowook’s dating habits. Maybe he was thinking too much into it, Jihoon and Sungmin were brothers and most sibling relationships he knew were always full of ups and downs. So this might be the low for the two and maybe it wouldn’t hit the bottom too hard. 

 

\----

 

Seungcheol should have known that when Jihoon had told him to come up at the door, it would be Chan to be the one opening it. It was like the young boy had been running for the door and he had this look full of conspiracy on his face.  
“Let’s exchange numbers, Seungcheol hyung.”  
Seungcheol laughed but fished out his phone for the younger kid.  
“Remember text me all Jihoon’s favorites.”  
“I will send you a picture of his sleeping face.”  
Seungcheol’s smile widened. The thought was endearing and he wasn’t sure how he would react if Chan ever did send him a picture of sleeping Jihoon.  
Soon Jihoon was by the door, whining to Chan for stealing his precious time with his date and Seungcheol watched, yet again with amazement how different Jihoon was with his brother than with other people. It was so true, open feelings everywhere and it wasn’t hard to believe that Jihoon had been waiting for Seungcheol to arrive. Well, he did have actors as his brothers so Jihoon probably had some talent in that too. 

 

“What are you spacing out? Come on, your brother won’t wait.”  
Seungcheol snapped out it, waved goodbyes to Chan and joined Jihoon as the younger man made his way towards the car. Inspired by the fact that Jihoon was going to come and watch Seungcheol and the gang to perform, they had also agreed on Jihoon joining him for the visit to his brother at the army garrison. It had been actually Jihoon who had argued that the more they spend time together the more his family would believe them. Seungcheol had been surprised that Jihoon had actually wanted to come because he still remembered their first date and how Jihoon had wanted to skip it to be alone. 

 

Seungcheol started to drive and at some point of the drive, he noticed Jihoon tapping the handle with his finger and his legs moving nervously. He grinned.  
“Well aren’t you fidgety.”  
“It is not any other day you meet your boyfriend’s brother, right?” Jihoon gave him a pointed look and Seungcheol laughed.  
“It’s just a couple of minutes visit. And Siwon is the most laid-back person ever.”  
Jihoon made a face.  
“If he is anything like you, I will die from the flashy smiles.”  
“Oh, so you think my smile is flashy?”  
Jihoon blinked at him before he turned to look out of the window and murmured “way too flashy” made it to Seungcheol’s ears. He burst into laughter, not sure what to think of this sudden reveal, and he didn’t stop until Jihoon was again facing him and hitting him, ordering him to stop laughing at him.  
“Gosh, Jihoonie, you are adorable.”  
“I am not!”  
The bickered in good terms until they finally reached the army site and Jihoon’s face turned kind of pale.  
“Come on, it’s not like you or I are enlisting.”  
Jihoon didn’t answer, he didn’t say anything when they made their way through the gate, Seungcheol dealing with the permissions to enter. It wasn’t until they were safely inside and making their way towards the visitors centre when Jihoon moved close, his hand gripping on Seungcheol’s sleeve.  
“Is this really okay? I mean, friends are different thing. I mean, yeah, sure, we agreed on faking it to your parents too, if they ask, I mean but—“  
Seungcheol flung his arm around Jihoon’s shoulders, making the younger one squeak.  
“Jihoon, darling. Chill. I actually went through my brother’s high school year book since Mingyu’s brother is close to him in age, so... guess what? Your brother was year above mine.”  
“Fuck.”  
Seungcheol burst out into laughter yet again as Jihoon hid his face behind his hand after the most passionate curse Seungcheol had heard for a long time.  
“So, we dating would have probably made it to my brother anyway.”  
“This was the worst mistake of my life.”  
“Dating me or the visiting my brother?”  
Before Jihoon could answer, they heard a happy yell of Seungcheol’s name and soon a tall man was there in his uniform, smiling brightly at them.  
“Brother!”  
“Siwon hyung!”  
Seungcheol had to admit that he had missed his brother a lot. Two years weren’t much but it was long enough to start missing someone.  
“How has the army treated you?” Seungcheol asked when his brother let go of him. Siwon grinned.  
“Very well. But less about me and more about you. Is this him?”  
Seungcheol turned to look at Jihoon (who had yet again kind of hid behind him) and beamed. He was actually surprised how easily he was able to smile hearty at Jihoon. It was easy and it didn’t feel like he was faking anything.  
“Yeah. Siwon, his is Jihoon, my boyfriend. Jihoon, my older brother, Siwon.”  
Siwon took a step forward and Jihoon huffed as the older male embraced him hard.  
“You are quite an adorable catch. How did my brother got a boyfriend as cute as you is beyond me!”  
Jihoon opened his mouth to protests but Siwon didn’t hear any of it and continued.  
“Is my brother treating you well? He can be such a thick skulled sometimes. And make him pay, true gentlemen pay for dinners!”  
“I think Jihoon can pay for himself.”  
“But you keep telling me you are such a gentleman! And do I want to pay for myself? No”, Jihoon pointed out and Siwon burst out into laughter, squishing Jihoon harder.  
“I like him already.”  
Seungcheol saved Jihoon from the squishy death and the discussion moved to school, food in army, how mother and father were doing, all kind of ordinary things. Jihoon mostly listened to the two brothers to talk, his hand sneaking to be entwined with Seungcheol. 

 

\----

 

“He sure is your brother. You both are so clingy.”  
Seungcheol gasped dramatically, swinging their linked hands between them.  
“We are not clingy! We just have lots of love!”  
Jihoon snorted and Seungcheol wondered when he had started to truly adore Jihoon’s small smiles. It was strange how wonderful it felt to have Jihoon with him, chat with him, smile with him. When Seungcheol was driving safely towards the Lee house, he glanced at the man next to him.  
“I think you should join us for lunch tomorrow.”  
“I hate cafeteria.”  
“But you should. We could make the whole school finally stop guessing. Have you heard the rumors?”  
Jihoon pouted, tapping his knee with his fingers. “I have heard some.”  
Seungcheol stopped for the red lights and turned to look at the younger man.  
“And would it make it to your parents’ ears? I mean, some of those kids parents must be friends with yours?”  
Jihoon nodded slowly, worrying his lower lip between his teeth, thinking. Seungcheol turned away and concentrated on driving. They sat in the silence and when Seungcheol pulled up to the Lee driveway Jihoon nodded.  
“Sure. I will join you and your friends. But nothing too flashy.”  
“Oh we will be as indistinguishable as Mingyu in the hall full of average size of people.”  
Jihoon groaned. “You will be embarrassing, won’t you?”  
Seungcheol grinned. “Just for you babe.”  
Jihoon made a gagging sound and Seungcheol snorted. “Do you want me to walk you up to the door or what?”  
“I think this is fine. Just… I don’t know. I will wave at you?”  
Seungcheol knew that from where he had stopped was a great view to the windows and if anyone was watching them, they would get a great show. Seungcheol leaned forward and Jihoon almost pulled back but let Seungcheol reach out, get a hold of his face and pull their faces close. Not close enough to kiss but from anyone else viewing outside it looked like a kiss. 

 

It was maybe a mistake. Jihoon was so close, his bitten lip so red and inviting but Seungcheol kept his cool, pulling back soon enough, letting his fingers linger. Jihoon sat there, breathing heavily. Seungcheol smiled.  
“See you tomorrow.”  
“Yeah.”  
Seungcheol watched Jihoon to make his way to the door and before he disappeared behind it, the shorter man waved hastily at him. Seungcheol sighed, trying to calm his heart, and then he reached for his phone when it informed him from incoming message. He burst out into laughter before driving off, his head full of cryptic feels he didn’t want to tackle with, not yet. 

 

**[From: The Most Handsome Dino]**  
_Oh my God! Brother is a blushing mess!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the support, kudos and comments~ 
> 
> ;w;
> 
> I will try to update once a week, maybe twice if it's a good week.


	6. So cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seungcheol is a shitty fake boyfriend.

\-------

Seungcheol moved the ramen inside his cup without really paying attention it and it was probably cold already. He had texted early on to Jihoon to inform their table in the cafeteria but Jihoon hadn’t send any messages back and Seungcheol was contemplating on storming to practice rooms and dragging Jihoon out. But Jihoon had promised to join them and Seungcheol had fate in the younger man so he sat put, waiting. 

 

“You are acting pretty strangely, Cheol”, Jeonghan pointed out suddenly and all the attention was suddenly on him. Seungcheol laughed nervously. He hadn’t actually told anyone that Jihoon was going to join them because, well, Jeonghan would have probably flared up if he had known.  
“Well, actually, I invited someone to join us today.”  
Jun stopped eating, blinking at him. Jisoo hummed and turned a page of his book while Jeonghan gave him a pointed look. “And who that might be? “  
Seungcheol grinned sheepishly.  
“You won’t probably like it but… Woozi will be joining us.”  
Jun sputtered the drink he was having and Jisoo actually glanced at him from his book.  
“You must be joking, right”, Jeonghan groaned, his eyes full of annoyance, “Why did you invite him to join us?”  
“He is—“Seungcheol noticed Jun looking somewhere behind him and Seungcheol licked his lips before continuing. “ –my boyfriend.”  
“So introduction is done, good, I am starving.”  
Seungcheol felt Jihoon to take a hold of his shoulder for support as he sat down next to him. It was only a brief contact but Seungcheol felt his shoulder to burn under the touch. He was also very aware of the word “boyfriend” that had stumbled out of his mouth pretty easily but on the other hand Seungcheol felt the weight of said word on him as the other three in the table started at him, Jun with curious eyes, Jeonghan apparently fuming and Jisoo smiling gently. He had said it out to his brother with no burdens and they had bantered over being boyfriends together with Jihoon but now, when the word was said out loud in a group of people important him, it felt suddenly so intimate, so official.

 

Jisoo was the first one to recover: he closed his book and leaned forward a little.  
“That’s nice. Welcome to the family, Jihoon.”  
Jihoon nodded while fishing out couple of apples from his bag.  
“When did this start?” Jeonghan spat more to Seungcheol than to anyone else but Jihoon answered to him, shrugging.  
“Couple of weeks ago. We have mutual friends and that’s it. Spark flew or some shit.”  
Jun snorted and Seungcheol grinned but his smile dropped when he realizes Jihoon had already demolished the other apple he had pulled out from his bag-  
“Do you have anything else?”  
Jihoon shrugged, taking a bite from the remaining fruit.  
“Christ Jihoon, you can’t live with just two apples, I’m getting you something.”  
“Don’t you dare leave me here”, Jihoon snapped when Seungcheol tried to stand up, pulling him by the arm back down.  
“Well then eat this!” He offered the cold noodles to Jihoon who made a face.  
“Your ugly leftovers? No.”  
“Aww, ain’t that sweet. Cheol, up you go and get your sweetie boyfriend food”, Jeonghan snapped annoyed, mocking even, and he pulled the older male up and along, away from the table.  
Seungcheol didn’t try to resist, Jeonghan’s grip was tight and when they reached to the food line, Jeonghan let go of his arm.  
“And since why did you think it was a good idea to bring him here?”  
“Well he needs to get out of the practice rooms, like, for real”, Seungcheol murmured, picking some fresh and warm noodles for Jihoon.  
Jeonghan groaned. “And was I the only one who didn’t know about you two? God, you are a horrible best friend!”  
“You said you don’t... like him so I just… decided to spare you.” Seungcheol picked a Coke from the fridge before fishing some coins from his pockets to pay the food. Jeonghan gave him an angry glare before they returned to the table.  
Jun was entertaining Jihoon with some story Jisoo seemed to be familiar with because he had gotten back to his book.  
“Here, warm noodles and Coke.”  
Jihoon blinked at him but took the offered food. “I thought you were joking.”  
“Cheol hyung doesn’t joke when he says he is going to buy food for you, he never does”, Jun explained and Jihoon nodded slowly. “Thanks.”  
“You welcome, that’s why I am here.”  
Jihoon snorted. “Keeping up your perfect gentleman image?”  
Seungcheol smiled fondly at him. “You know me too well.”  
“Oh please, cut the act.”  
Jihoon visible tensed and Seungcheol already opened his mouth to answer but Jun was faster than either of them. He snorted, leaning a little forward.  
“What act? I mean, they act like boyfriends? And that is not even the worst PDA you have witnessed.”  
Jeonghan narrowed his eyes at Jun who grinned, taking a sip from his drink, teeth gleaming when he bit the straw. Jisoo cleared his throat.  
“Okay, let’s eat our lunch in peace, no food fights, please Jeonghannie.”  
Jeonghan’s hold of his drink loosened and Jun focused his attention back to Jihoon.  
“So, as I was saying before your food delivery got here…” and Seuncheol lulled him out, watching how Jisoo and Jeonghan communicated without words, and yet he could understand Jeonghan’s displeasure of the situation and Jisoo’s thinning patience.  
He inched closer the other two on the other side of the table, leaving Jihoon to have his story time with Jun.  
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”  
“Seunggie, please, it’s okay”, Jisoo started gently and Jeonghan rolled his eyes dramatically. Seungcheol pouted, leaning over the table towards his best friends.  
“I thought it would be a good idea, you to meet my boyfriend.”  
Jeonghan made an annoyed face at him but his shoulders slumped so both Jisoo and Seungcheol knew that the fight was over, for now.  
“I forgive you, but you have to buy me a lunch too, like a real man.”  
Seungcheol laughed. He hated it when Jeonghan acted like a spoiled child and whined about anything that didn’t suit his taste. Seungcheol regretted it a little that he had kind of forced Jihoon to join them, he should have softened his friend beforehand and prepare them for Jihoon’s visit. He wanted his child hood friends to be comfortable with the idea of him dating Jihoon. He didn’t want to underrate his crew members as friends but Jisoo and Jeonghan’s approval was all Seungcheol ever needed in life. 

 

Seungcheol was pulled from his thoughts when Jihoon started to move from next to him to stand up.  
He shifted his attention from Jeonghan’s more and more relaxed attitude and turned to Jihoon who was now standing by the table, ready to leave.  
“Oh, you are going already?”  
Jihoon gave him a pointed look. “I finished my food, and I have things to work with.”  
“Oh”, Seungcheol pouted, pulling himself upright and reaching out for Jihoon.  
“I will see you? I have to tell you the information about the gig anyway!”  
Jihoon hesitantly took a hold of Seungcheol hand and the older man beamed up at him, swinging their hands back and forth. Jeonghan groaned and Seungcheol whined, turning yet again towards his friend.  
“You promised to behave!”  
His hand slipped away from Jihoon’s and he was pulled into a whiny but friendly quarrel with Jeonghan.  
Soon it was time for Jisoo and Jeonghan also to leave and Seungcheol happily waved after them, promising to meet both of them after the school. He reached out for his drink he had abandoned earlier and took a sip.  
“You know, you are kind of shitty fake boyfriend.”  
Seungcheol almost choked on his drink and Jun smiled at him, pleased with the reaction he had gotten out his hyung.  
“What?”  
“Please. I told you to take good care of him.”  
“But I am?” Seungcheol murmured, confused and Jun rolled his eyes.  
“You didn’t even pay attention when he left.”  
“I said goodbyes?”  
Jun sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.  
“Hyung, sometimes you are so dumb.”  
Seungcheol blinked at him but Jun wouldn’t explain anything so Seungcheol left it to be, making faces at the younger man as they finished their (other’s leftovers) food before heading to their afternoon classes. Seungcheol’s mind was filled with great ideas for the up-coming gig, Jun’s words briefly forgotten. 

 

\----

 

Seungcheol didn’t ask Jihoon to him and his friends for lunch after that. He didn’t want to provoke Jeonghan more than the mere idea of Jihoon and he dating did. He did however try to meet up with Jihoon alone, like in the first time. At first Seungcheol thought that the younger man was avoiding him and making up excuses not to meet but Mingyu confirmed that they had a big project to finish so Seungcheol let Jihoon be, most of the time. He sent texts occasionally, trying to keep up conversation but Jihoon’s answers were short and almost rude so Seungcheol left the messaging to the minimum, informing Jihoon about the upcoming gig. 

 

It was starting to feel like they had hit a bump and Seungcheol didn’t like it. He had gotten accustomed to Jihoon’s snarky presence so now his life was somewhat boring. Jisoo poked him with his foot.  
“Hey, are you okay? You have been staring at your phone for fifteen minutes now.”  
Seungcheol groaned, slumping more deeply into the soft couch.  
“Jihoon isn’t answering to me.”  
“Hmm. Have you actually talked with him after the lunch?”  
“Not really. He has been busy”, Seungcheol pouted at Jisoo who was looking at him with concerned eyes. “Do you think he is avoiding me?”  
“I think he is more avoiding Jeonghan than you. Jihoon can be sweet when wants to but I think he and Jeonghan started of badly so it’s hard for Jeonghan to deal with your relationship.”  
Seungcheol groaned. “I just want them to get along.”  
“With time I think that will happen. Give them time”, Jisoo encouraged and Seungcheol nodded, glancing back at his phone.  
“And he is joining you for the next weekend’s gig, right?” After Seungcheol nodded, Jisoo smiled. “That means it can’t be that bad? And if it is, you can talk with him then, right?”  
“You are right.”  
“Don’t think too much of it, I am sure you will work it you.” Jisoo patted his knee before getting up from the couch and heading towards the kitchen. Seungcheol sighed, twirling the phone in his hand. Maybe it would work out, maybe they would yet again try to get know each other.

 

And when Seungcheol parked his car outside the Lee house on next Saturday, he felt significantly better and he already had his acts thought out: get out of the car, Jihoon would meet him half way, lean in for kiss, lead him to car, take his crews’ teasing and drive away. Simple. Mingyu gave him thumbs up when he got out of the car. The plan had been carefully thought out but when Seungcheol was past the half way and almost at the door, he was starting to panic. But before he reached to the door, Jihoon opened it and almost rushed out of the door, shutting it behind him fast. Seungcheol didn’t get the kiss but Jihoon leaned to his side which made Seungcheol to pull his arm around Jihoon’s shoulders.  
“Hey, Jihonnie, you ready for the show of your life?”  
“Sure.”  
Seungcheol rolled his eyes to Jihoon’s short answer and moved to open the door for Jihoon when they reached to the car. They were met with the total silence and Seungcheol beamed.  
“Jihoon, this is my crew. You have met Mingyu and Vernon”, Seungcheol pointed at them, Mingyu grinned and waved, Vernon looked a little uncomfortable but smiled still, “and that grumpy man is Wonwoo. Wonwoo, this is Jihoon, my boyfriend.”  
It still felt weird to say it out loud. Well, he hadn’t said it out loud to anyone after the lunch meet up two weeks ago so of course it would feel weird, especially when there was someone who wasn’t aware of their deal. Wonwoo’s reaction to the information was to look surprised. Mingyu grinned at them.  
“Aww, your shirts match. You make a cute couple.”  
Jihoon pouted. “Shut up, I’m not cute.”  
“Of course you aren’t”, Seungcheol beamed when he made his way to the driver’s seat. Mingyu started to bomber Jihoon with questions of being boyfriends, such as was the first kiss shared yet and Vernon made gagging sounds. Wonwoo stayed mostly silent, observing it all. Seungcheol felt yet again super giddy when he listened to Jihoon to deal with Mingyu. 

 

To Seungcheol it looked like Jihoon was more comfortable with the idea of trying to strangle Mingyu seating behind him than paying attention to him. Maybe it was the age thing because Mingyu and Jihoon were close to age and they shared a class, but after the lunch with Jun, Jisoo and Jeonghan, Seungcheol had been bothered by many things concerning Jihoon.

Jihoon had said he was busy and Seungcheol hadn’t tried to bribe the information out of him but it felt like Jihoon was leaving him out for purpose. Seungcheol huffed, concentrating on the driving, his mood little sour. Maybe they would grow more comfortable with each other again, now that they actually had to act like they were close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this was pretty hard to write, because Seungcheol is dumb and Jihoon's PoV is missing (we will get into it later on, I promise). But I hope I delivered Seungcheol's naive insecurities somewhat understandable. ;_; 
> 
> Also I adore Jun/Jihoon interactions so much nggggh. ;w; 
> 
> Thank you for the kudos, comments and whatevers! \o/ ❤


	7. Wrinkled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seungcheol learns that his boyfriend is anything but friendless and evil.

Seungcheol made his way through the crowd and grinned at Jihoon who stood by the entrance, his face blank but his eyes were full of disappointment. The bouncer nodded at Seungcheol when he waved the bracelet and let Jihoon slip inside. Seungcheol pulled him closer, slipping the bracelet onto Jihoon’s wrist, gently tightening it.  
“Sorry about that.”  
“You just forgot that I need bracelet to get in. Sure, whatever”, Jihoon sneered and Seungcheol rubbed his neck awkwardly.  
“Well now you are V.I.P so you can enter where ever you want.”  
“I don’t think I want”, Jihoon snapped, looking around the club. “This looks so shitty place with your presence in it.”  
“Okay, I am sorry, I don’t usually bring people with me here so I didn’t know you also needed something to indicate your entrance. I am sorry.”  
Jihoon rolled his eyes.  
“You will have fun, I promise”, Seungcheol cooed but Jihoon hummed, not looking at him and Seungcheol bit his lip. The night hadn’t started off well at all. As Seungcheol had said, he barely ever brought anyone with him and it hadn’t grossed his small mind that Jihoon might have had needed something to be able to enter. He felt embarrassed and he wanted to make it up to Jihoon somehow.  
“Can I get you a drink?”  
“Isn’t Vernon underage?” Jihoon shot back and Seungcheol snorted.  
“This is organized by local youth organization so there isn’t alcohol moving around”, Seungcheol laughed, putting his arm around Jihoon’s shoulders and pulling him along. His heart soared when Jihoon didn’t pull away.  
“We can get you all the Colas you want.”  
Jihoon groaned but didn’t complain. Seungcheol grinned and soon he was leaning on the bar table, looking fondly at Jihoon who had the drink in his hand, sipping it contently while gazing around the crowd.  
“I have to go soon to the back stage, you want to join us?”  
“I will stay here and enjoy the show. Come find me later.”  
“Okay. Don’t sneak off!”  
Jihoon snorted. “Why would I? I am very important person anyway.”  
Seungcheol smiled crookedly, ignoring the jab, and turned to leave the younger man alone but Jihoon cleared his throat to get his attention.  
“Yeah?”  
“I… I mean… good luck. Have fun on the stage.”  
Seungcheol wasn’t sure but it sounded like Jihoon was sincere with his words and suddenly he felt more content with the performance they had prepared than he had ever been. He beamed at Jihoon, leaning closer and he patted him on the shoulder.  
“Thanks. I will. See you.”  
And he didn’t stay for Jihoon’s reply.  
Mingyu grinned slyly at him, accusing him for smiling too smugly and Vernon, yet again, made disgusted faces. Wonwoo only blinked at Seungcheol’s happy mood. It didn’t take long until they were called for the stage and when Seungcheol positioned himself on the stage, he could see Jihoon among the crowd, small smile on his lips.  
As the ominous beat started to play, the crow silenced but when Mingyu started his rap, the screams were load and clear. What Seungcheol loved the most about performing was the fact how you could pull the audience along and enjoy the show with you. By the time of his turn to rap, the crowd was already jumping and screaming. The cheers were loud when they got rid of their masks and Seungcheol’s favorite song, Ah Yeah started to boom through the speakers. It got the crowd going wild and Seungcheol screamed for more, Mingyu’s rap echoing his words. Stage lights made him blind and sweat was dripping down his forehead but he loved it, he loved every second of the time he got to be on the stage. 

 

\---

Seungcheol grinned at Jihoon who had a small smile on his lips and full attention on the older man. Seungcheol rarely felt self-conscious but Jihoon gaze was something he couldn’t quit read and it made him somewhat nervous. But what he was happy about was that Jihoon seemed somewhat breathless, like the other one had indeed taken part in singing along their songs.  
“So how did you like it? We were kind of badass if I may say”, Seungcheol beamed, wiping the sweat away from his forehead when he reach to Jihoon, who tried to sneer at him but it was more of a laugh than a sneer. To Seungcheol it looked like Jihoon was actually a little bit giggly, bouncing on his feet.  
“The masks were so exaggerated! But otherwise it was very entertaining. ”  
“Glad to hear~ Can I assume you are enjoying yourself?”  
“Sure. You have talent.”  
Seungcheol laughed and pulled Jihoon closer. “Want to come and hang out with us?”  
Jihoon shrugged. “Vernon and Wonwoo seem nice.”  
Seungcheol bit his tongue to prevent himself to say something about Jihoon’s friendship with Mingyu but he didn’t need to sound… what, jealous now.  
“They are. Want something to drink? I can show you around and maybe you can meet some of my other friends outside the university. Or maybe we could—“  
“S.Coups!”  
Seungcheol was interrupted by a yell reaching to them above all the noise. They both turned and Seungcheol grinned. He hadn’t seen the fellow rapper in ages.  
“August D! How’s going man!”  
Short, green haired man laughed at him as he pushed his way through the crowd to them and took Seungcheol’s offered hand.  
“It’s great man! I must say your performance keeps getting better and better every time I see you!”  
“Oh! Thanks! Are you going to perform too?”  
“Yeah! With my group tonight thou!” August D laughed, nodding and Seungcheol was suddenly reminded of Jihoon who was standing a bit behind them. The eye smile was almost like the same and Seungcheol felt giggly. He turned a bit, reaching out for Jihoon.  
“That’s great! Oh, here, this is my—“  
August D had a bad habit of interrupting people and he let out a small gasp.  
“Woozi!”  
Seungcheol blinked as August moved forward, stopping right before Jihoon and Seungcheol was sure the older man was about to hug Jihoon but something pulled him back and he settled for a smile and a hold of Jihoon’s hands.  
“You are out of the house? Your parents let you? Oh my God, you have grown up so much!” He reached out and ruffled Jihoon’s hair and Seungcheol stared at the display of affection in front of him. Jihoon looked like he was about to break into tears but all he did was smile up at the older man, his eyes focused on August.  
“Ah, nice to see you too, Yoongi hyung. My parents aren’t home so I took some time off. Also Coups hyung here is good at persuading. “  
August ( _Yoongi_ , Seungcheol was perplexed by the fact that Jihoon was first name bases with him!) turned to look at Seungcheol again, grinning. “I didn’t know you know Woozi! Oh man! We used to hang out a lot!”  
“Ah, well I didn’t know you know each other, either, so this is a bit surprise.”  
August laughed. “This is great! I want to have a jamming session with the two of you!” He turned back to Jihoon. “That would be awesome!”  
Jihoon smiled carefully but nodded.  
There was something so intimate in the way they were standing close to each other but to Seungcheol it looked more like a bond of childhood friends than anything else so he moved in carefully, his hand finding its place on Jihoon’s lower back. Jihoon jerked a little which caused August to look at Seungcheol who grinned at him. There was a moment of awkwardness, like the other rapper was trying to figure out what was going on (he glanced between the two of them) but before he could say or ask anything there was a voice calling for Suga and one of his group members was there, asking him to come, their time to go to the stage would be soon. Suga said fast goodbyes to them and soon disappeared into the crowd. Seungcheol didn’t dare to move. His hand felt suddenly so heavy but he didn’t want to move away. Maybe he had acted harshly, without thinking really but that was the point of this, right? Make it look a real relationship, right? 

Seungcheol cleared his throat.  
“So. You know each other?”  
Jihoon turned a little but didn’t pull away and Seungcheol let his fingers curl around the hem of Jihoon’s shirt.  
“Yeah. We were neighbors when I was young. And we made music together. It was fun and like, you know, when you are young you dream things big. But then he moved away and yeah, I haven’t really kept in touch with him.”  
“You should. I mean keep touch with him. Friends are important. I mean, I live with my childhood friend.”  
Jihoon nodded. There was increase of the volume near the stage and Seungcheol nodded toward that direction too. “Should we go and see the, perform?”  
“Yeah, I haven’t heard him perform in ages.”  
Jihoon smiled and let himself be pulled along. They took a place not too close to the stage but not far away either. Seungcheol could spot Vernon in the front row and Jihoon moved forward to stand in front of Seungcheol. The act was somewhat intimate and Seungcheol felt himself to be pushed against the younger man as the pressure from the crowd behind increased. Seungcheol would happily protect Jihoon from the eager crowd but something was so off about it and it made Seungcheol feel uneasy. The feeling of not being able to breathe was coming back and Seungcheol took a deep breath to calm himself.  
It wasn’t until later in the Bangtan’s gig Seungcheol was relaxed, his other hand securely placed on Jihoon’s waist.

 

\----

“Well you looked cozy with him.”  
Seungcheol lifted his head and met Wonwoo’s eyes through the mirror.  
“Sure. As I said, he is my boyfriend.”  
Wonwoo’s face didn’t change but he arched his eye brows.  
“Really? Mingyu said other things.”  
Seungcheol rolled his eyes, pushing himself away from the sink.  
“Mingyu should keep his mouth shut.”  
Wonwoo gave him a crooked smile.  
“You okay, hyung? You look kind of tired.”  
“Yeah, all is good. “  
There was a crash as Soonyoung rushed into the restroom, slamming the door loudly against the wall.  
“S.Coups! Why didn’t you tell me you date Jihoon!”  
“Christ, Hoshi!”  
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Soonyoung cried dramatically, pulling Seungcheol out of the room, leaving Wonwoo to laugh alone inside.  
“It’s a new thing! Why is this so dramatic, Hosh?”  
Soongyoung whined loudly, stopping and taking a hold of Seungcheol’s shoulders.  
“My cute Jihoonie. So brutally pulled into your arms.” Soonyoung pretended to cry until he snapped his head back up, staring at Seungcheol with his eyes narrowed. “You better treat him well, man.”  
“Wait, you know him too? And Mingyu said he doesn’t have friends!”  
“Uh, yeah? He used to come a lot to the dance classes where I was helping. Damn that kid dances well. Wait, I need to get him into the stage.”  
Seungcheol blinked as Soonyoung moved away, making noise and ruckus as he went. Soonyoung was always so dramatic and they had hit it off well in one of the classes they had shared. Whereas Seungcheol was mainly focusing on rapping and lyric writing, Soonyoung was mastering the art of dancing and performing. Wonwoo stopped next to him and Seungcheol turned to look at him.  
“What just happened?”  
“I think your little boyfriend is anything but friendless, cranky and evil.”  
There were cheers and when they reached to the spot Soonyoung had claimed as the dance floor, there Jihoon was, along with Vernon and Soonyoung, doing some sort of choreograph, laughing along. Soon Vernon retreated and the floor was Soonyoung and Jihoon’s. And as Seungcheol watched, he was mesmerized. Jihoon could move, his slide across the floor was smooth and drops effortless. Seungcheol let out a wild cheer for Jihoon when it was crowd’s time to give shout out to the winner. And even if the crowd cheered Soonyoung as a winner, it looked to Seungcheol that Jihoon had fun nonetheless. 

 

Without him. 

 

\-----

“Hey. Can I ask you something?”  
Jihoon froze middle of moving the seat belt from around his body. Mingyu was fast asleep behind them so Seungcheol felt safe to ask.  
“Depends.”  
Seungcheol snorted, rubbing his left eye. He was feeling tired and contact lenses were drying into his eyes.  
“Have your parents kept you locked inside or what? Both August and Soonyoung mentioned that.”  
“Ah.”  
Jihoon worried the lower lip between his teeth, obviously thinking what to answer. Seungcheol didn’t push and Jihoon finally let the poor lip go (Seungcheol wasn’t sure why but the red lip looked tempting, he could fake kiss Jihoon right now and there) and let out a sigh.  
“It’s a bit complicated. A story for a better time. “  
“Hm. But you are going to tell me?”  
“Someday. But you know, I will take your advice and keep in touch with them. I mean, Yoongi hyung still wants the jamming session!” Jihoon seemed to like the idea and Seungcheol nodded, smiling.  
“That leads to another question. Or a proposal. I need to see you perform.”  
Jihoon blinked at him and Seungcheol shrugged, not sure how to express his want. “ I mean, like, I have heard that you are great but I have never… bothered to get to see you perform to be honest. But after tonight, I need it.”  
“Okay. We… could… jam together next week?” Jihoon kept blinking at him, confused but Seungcheol was more than happy about the fact that Jihoon wasn’t turning him down. He hummed and smiled.  
“So it will be a jamming date then.”  
Jihoon snorted, hesitated a bit his eyes darting towards the dark house. Seungcheol rolled his eyes, lifting his hand to touch Jihoon’s cheek and leaned in to kiss the other cheek. When he pulled back, Jihoon turned his face away so Seungcheol didn’t get to see his expression.  
“So, see you.”  
“Yeah. See you. Have great dreams. Preferable about me but…”  
“Oh God, you are hopeless!” Jihoon roared, turning and punched him on the arm. Seungcheol laughed and Mingyu woke up startled because of their voices, his eyes wide from the surprise. When Jihoon finally exited the car, Mingyu was wide awake, complaining about everything and when Seungcheol finally reversed the car, Jihoon was still standing by the door, waving at them.  
“Did something happen? You were so moody when we were driving back but now you are smiling all teeth”, Mingyu asked, turning his head to see Jihoon to enter the house when they drove away. Seungcheol hummed.  
"I might have another date~”  
“Hyung, you sound like you are really starting to like him”, Mingyu groaned and Seungcheol glanced at him.  
“So what? Maybe? Who knows.”  
“Hyung…”  
“I know. I want to be his friend. He has many friends.”  
Mingyu stared at him for a while without saying anything and Seungcheol turned the radio on because he couldn’t handle the silence treatment Mingyu was giving him. It made him happy to get Jihoon smile but that didn’t mean he was starting to crush on the boy, right? He just wanted to be friends with him. Get to know him and maybe… then have a crush on him. With the beats of the song blasting through the car’s speakers he gradually pushed the nagging thoughts into back of his mind. 

 

Until Seungcheol was forced to deal with them. 

 

Seungcheol groggily reached for his phone, jolting upright when his brain registered who was calling.  
“Hello? Chan, you okay?”  
_“Seungcheol, hyung, I am sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you, I won’t bother—“_  
“It’s okay, Chan, what…” Mingyu moved on the bed and Seungcheol licked his lip, lowering his voice a little. “What’s up?”  
That was probably a very stupid question considering it was maybe way too early for Chan to call him in any matter. He was met with a silence, then, _“I assume brother is not with you?”_  
“No? I drove him home thou and I saw him enter the house.”  
Seungcheol was suddenly feeling cold, both inside and out. Mingyu was sitting now, listening.  
_“Ah. Okay. I just assumed he would come to you. Okay, I will send him message to call you. I’m so sorry hyung.”_ And the call was cut before Seungcheol could say anything.  
“Hyung?”  
Seungcheol opened his mouth but nothing came out, his phone’s screen going black. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, until Seungcheol’s phone lit to life, Woozi’s name blearing at them in the darkness. 

 

\----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Added some tags. 
> 
> I'm sorry. Not really but. :D  
> We will get more of Soonyoung later because he is precious. 
> 
> Thank you for your support! \o/


	8. Let me breathe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They dance on a thin layer of ice. 
> 
> Alternatively: they snap.

\----

Seungcheol was spacing around the street corner, shaking from the coldness but also from anger and fear. His thoughts were one big mess inside his head and he wasn’t sure what was going to happen and if he was ready to deal with this even if he had had his assumptions early on. But now it was very real and Seungcheol gulped shakily and then, Jihoon finally slumped into a view from behind the parked cars. Seungcheol breathe caught but he got his legs on the move and rushed towards the younger one.  
“Gosh, Jihoon, are you okay?”  
“Yeah, sure… yeah.”  
Seungcheol tried to lift Jihoon’s face to see what the damage was but Jihoon turned his face away and Seungcheol let him. He tried to take hold of Jihoon’s hand but the younger man jerked away so Seungcheol settled for leading the way, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Jihoon was following him. They made it up to the 15th floor in silence and when the elevator door pinged open, Mingyu poked his head out from the apartment.  
“Come on, we must be quiet!” he whispered when they were close enough. Mingyu took a hold of Jihoon’s wrist to lead him inside the apartment, Seungcheol watching them go.  
“Wookie hyung might wake up. I will get the –“  
There was a click of the light switch and for brief moment they were all blinded by the artificial light.  
“What is going on here?”  
Mingyu looked at his brother, eyes wide and Seungcheol could feel the nervousness fill the air around them. Jihoon had tensed between them and Seungcheol moved in to block Jihoon but Ryeowook moved faster and Jihoon hissed as the older man lifted his face.  
There was a moment of silence.  
“It was him, wasn’t it?”  
“Wook hyung, Jihoon… he… met the wall, I mean floor and –“  
“Save it. It was your brother right?” There was something so final in Ryeowook’s voice that all the stubbornness in Jihoon’s face vanished and he nodded almost unnoticed. Ryeowook cursed and started to pull the small man after him towards the living room.  
“Jesus Christ, I knew he was a piece of shit but something like this.”  
Seungcheol bit his lip but moved along the two, leaving Mingyu stand by the still open door. He sat near Jihoon (not too close to touch) when Ryeowook patched him up, cleaning up the small wound on his lip and giving ice for the eye. Mingyu joined them soon enough and spaced around them. When the older Kim was done with the patching up, he looked at everyone one of them in turns.  
“Go to sleep.”  
And no one dared to argue. Seungcheol helped Jihoon up and followed Mingyu to the latter one’s bedroom. They had already pulled a futon for Seungcheol and for a moment they all just stood there, thinking where Jihoon would sleep but Ryeowook again, solved it for them by appearing to the door way with extra pillows and blankets.  
“Futon is too small for two so Jihoon will sleep in the bed, it’s big enough for two.”  
They all hummed as agreement, watching in silence when Ryeowook dumped the pillows on the bed. Then he turned to Jihoon.  
“Come, I have some shirts you can borrow. Mingyu is too tall for you to borrow his.”  
Jihoon nodded, glancing at Seungcheol before he followed Ryeowook out of the room, leaving the two others stand alone.  
“I will take the futon”, Mingyu finally said and without letting Seungcheol to argument, slumped down on it.  
Seungcheol let a sigh escape from his lips.  
“This is crazy.”  
“I know.”  
“He sounded so... broken when he called. I was… so afraid.”  
“That’s why you will sleep next to him”, Mingyu murmured, finally laying down and pulling the blanket over his body. “I think you both need closure or something. “  
Seungcheol groaned and rubbed his eyes. It felt like it had been an eternity when they were all laughing and having fun, and now, they were in the dark, waiting Jihoon to come back with a bruised lip.  
“I’m so tired.”  
Before Mingyu could answer or ask, the door opened and Jihoon was back. He had a little bit oversized t-shirt on and shorts. He looked like a lost child and Mingyu made a vague noise of distaste.  
“That is not my brother’s shirt.”  
Jihoon sighed.  
“I was too…his shirts were… they didn’t fit.”  
“Jihoon, come here.” Seungcheol murmured and the younger one obligated, moving slowly. When Jihoon was close enough, Seungcheol pulled him into a hug and this time Jihoon didn’t avoid the touch, to Seungcheol it seemed almost like Jihoon melted into his hug.  
“You could have just borrowed mine, I have an extra.”  
“It’s fine, it’s… just a shirt. It is fine, I’m fine…”  
Jihoon sounded anything but fine, like a broken record, so Seungcheol moved his hand to Jihoon’s neck, gently patting his hair.  
“It is okay, Jihoon.”

 

Something broke inside Jihoon and soon Seungcheol was cradling a sobbing mess in his lap, both of them slumped down on the floor next to Mingyu, who had sat up and circled his arms around them from the side, his head pressed against Jihoon’s. 

 

They ended up all sleeping on the futon. Seungcheol had a sore back and neck when he woke up, early in the morning. His other arm was under Jihoon’s head and Mingyu’s long leg was over both of them, his arm around Jihoon’s waist. Jihoon slept soundly between them, his face to Seungcheol. The younger one’s face looked peaceful but the bruised lip was a nasty detail. Jihoon’s eye wasn’t as bad as it could have been, nothing make up wouldn’t hide. 

 

Seungcheol pulled his arm from under the boy, who only slumped more into blankets when Seungcheol stood up. He exited the room quietly, sighing deeply when he closed the door behind him.  
He heard Ryeowook move around somewhere in the apartment but everything was mainly dark so he didn’t have to worry about the older Kim finding him, standing there, outside the room.  
The whole night had been a mess. Earlier feelings came crushing back and Seungcheol didn’t like the fact that Jihoon was keeping so much from him, details of his life and it was starting to show.  
Seungcheol wasn’t sure anymore what he was doing and why he was doing it. He hasn’t even met Jihoon’s parents or brother if you didn’t count Chan and that had been the whole point of this deal. And now here he was, laying next to Jihoon whose lip was bruised, his hidden friendships with Suga and Soonyoung still mystery to him. It was getting out of the hand and Seungcheol wasn’t sure if he was ready for this. 

 

“You are piece of shit, you know that.”  
Seungcheol almost jumped out of his skin when Ryeowook’s voice made it to his ears. He also heard muffled answer and Ryeowook laughed hollowly.  
“Seriously? That is your excuse? He is your brother!”  
Seungcheol moved slowly towards the kitchen where a small light was coming from and from the doorway he spotted Ryeowook sitting on the table, holding phone in front of his mouth and earpieces on. He didn’t hear the muffled answers anymore, thanks to the earpieces but the face Ryeowook made was enough to tell what was going on.  
“You disgust me. No, no don’t… High school traumas my ass, you are pathetic! And you can blame yourself, you are the one who answered my call!”  
Ryeowook rubbed his eyes, listening for a while.  
“No.” Ryeowook’s hold of his phone tightened. “I’m not sending him home. “ A laugh. “Maybe to his boyfriend. Have you met him? Nice guy with a nice smile, unlike you.”  
Seungcheol felt something tighten around his chest.

 

The clock on the kitchen wall displayed four in the morning. 

 

\----

 

Seungcheol closed the front door behind him and leaned on it. It was always precious to come home and see early rays of sunshine pouring inside from the living room windows. He could hear Jisoo moving around the kitchen, getting ready for the day. But he also heard noises from the bathroom and Seungcheol glanced down. 

One extra pair of shoes.

“Fuck.” Seungheol murmured, closing his eyes. It would be impossible to avoid Jeonghan, the person he least wanted to see right now. He was like an open book to his long haired friend and after the night he would probably say things he probably shouldn’t.  
“Seungcheol? You are… very early.”  
Seungcheol opened his eyes and met Jisoo’s curious glance.  
“Yeah.”  
“You okay? You look like you haven’t slept at all.”  
Seungcheol hummed, kneeling down to get his shoes off. He basically didn’t sleep at all. He had returned to Mingyu’s bedroom and just sat there, leaning on the wall. Jihoon had gotten rid off Mingyu and had buried himself deeply inside the blankets, only his hair had been showing. Seungcheol had sat there until Ryeowook had peeked inside the room around six am and ordered Seungcheol to help him with the breakfast. They hadn’t talked and it didn’t take long until Jihoon emerged from the bedroom tempted by the smell of coffee.  
It had been an odd breakfast, Mingyu coming out from the bedroom middle of it, his eyes wide and bleary. Seungcheol hadn’t known what he should’ve had to say to Jihoon but then again, Jihoon himself hadn’t stirred up conversation. Ryeowook had dropped Seungcheol off on his way to work, Jihoon’s promises to call later ringing in Seungcheol’s ears.  
“Want some breakfast? Jeonghannie should be soon done with the shower, so you can join us”, Jisoo offered gently when Seungcheol pulled himself upright again. He shook his head, heading towards his room.  
“No thank you. I’m not up to his questions.”  
“Ah. Okay. Try to get some sleep.”  
Seungcheol nodded and he was glad he made it to his room without seeing Jeonghan. He tried to get some sleep but he ended up just staring up at the ceiling, wondering how Jihoon was doing, what the boy was going to do next and if he was planning to return home. Chan had texted him rows of apologies and Seungcheol wondered if this wasn’t the first time Jihoon had been treated badly. His lonely musings didn’t last long because Jeonghan barked inside his room soon enough and slumped next to him.  
“What’s up man? Trouble in paradise?”  
Seungcheol groaned and Jeonghan poked his side.  
“If he doesn’t talk, then it’s his loss. I mean, relationships fall when people don’t communicate.”  
Seungcheol rubbed his eyes, tired tears making their way to his eyes. “Why you think he doesn’t talk?”  
Jeonghan snorted. “Come on. He just bottles it up and doesn't inform you until it’s too late.”  
“Not everyone is as open as we are”, Seungcheol murmured, remembering all the little signs of affection Jihoon had shown without words, the moments when he had let Seungcheol be close. Jeonghan grunted and rolled nearer, almost crushing Seungcheol.  
“You are distressed and we don’t like it. If he makes you feel shit just dump him.”  
Seungcheol closed his eyes, enjoying Jeonghan’s warmness. His body was starting to give in for the tiredness.  
“It isn’t that easy.”  
“Come on, you can’t be seriously falling in love with that little goblin?”  
Seungcheol snorted, smiling but didn’t answer. That seemed to annoy Jeonghan more and the boy started to poke him harder. Seungcheol roared, engulfing him into a hug and Jeonghan screamed. Jisoo was soon by the door, amused smile on his lips.  
“Jeonghan, let Seungcheol sleep.”  
“I want to sleep too.”  
Jisoo rolled his eyes and soon Seungcheol felt the mattress dip when Jisoo joined them. It was warm, he felt happy to have his friends around him and soon Seungcheol drifted into sleep, dreaming nothing but still so much. 

 

\---

 

Soonyoung gave him a pointed look.  
“What you mean you didn’t know he dances like that? Where have you been living, in a bucket?”  
Seungcheol shrugged, starting to feel annoyed by his friend’s bluntness. Soonyoung rubbed his forehead, swiping the sweat away.  
Seungcheol rolled his head from shoulder to shoulder. “We don’t dance when we meet. But I should have probably guessed when Jihoon almost beat me in Dance Dance Revolution.”  
Soonyoung burst into laughter. “He so would! And I will beat you now!“ He bounced towards the music player and soon the fast beat filled the room. Soonyoung moved back to the middle of the dace room, counting with his fingers and they broke into choreograph together. 

 

Seungcheol had asked Soonyoung for a dance practice because he needed some stress relief and dancing was a very good option. Like being on the stage, dancing made him forgot everything around him and he could focus on the moment. He had tried jogging but it had made Seungcheol even more frustrated with the situation he was in. It was the fourth day after the fateful night of Jihoon’s beat up. Jihoon had called him, stating that he was staying with the Kims for now. Seungcheol had actually tried to bribe information out of Mingyu but his younger friend wouldn’t tell a thing. He had met Jihoon couple of times around the school corridors but Jihoon had every time snapped at him, had Seungcheol offered him some lunch or friendly chat. Jihoon and Mingyu were busy with their project and Seungcheol felt like he was yet again being left out on purpose. 

 

Seungcheol almost stumbled on his feet when he spotted Jihoon standing by the door of the practice room, unmoving, watching. Their eyes met through the mirror and Seungcheol faltered a bit with his movements so Soonyoung spun around.  
“Jihoonnie! You are early!” he jogged towards the music player to cut the music. Seungcheol was breathing hard, his lungs needing the air. Jihoon shrugged.  
“I thought you were alone. You didn’t mention Seungcheol is going to join on us for dinner.”  
“I am?” Seungcheol wondered aloud and Soonyoung rolled his eyes, lifting his hands up, wiggling his fingers.  
“Fine! I set you up because I was not informed you two were dating.”  
Jihoon’s lips curved a little. “That makes no sense.”  
“It does. I mean, I get to hang out with the two of my favorite people.”  
Seungcheol smiled a little. “Hosh, I don’t have any clothes to change into. I planned on going home after this and shower there.”  
Soonyoung pouted but soon his face brightened up again. “We can go and get something from the cafeteria and eat here!”  
Seungcheol shook his head. “That really isn’t neces —“ “I will get us something! Burgers!” Soonyoung ignored him by interrupting him loudly, already making his way towards the door. Jihoon moved inside, seemingly familiar with the other one’s antics to disobey. Soonyoung grinned.  
“I will be back soon~”  
And he was gone.  
Seungcheol stood there where he had stopped in middle of the choreograph; sweat still dripping down on his face.  
“Sorry about that.” Jihoon murmured, awkwardly fidgeting with his feet.  
Seungcheol waved his hand. “It’s okay. I’m sorry too. That he didn’t tell me I was here.”  
Jihoon shrugged. 

 

Silence. 

 

Seungcheol looked at Jihoon through the mirror. The boy looked fine and healthy, and Seungcheol wondered briefly if Jihoon’s hair had always been that long since it was almost hiding his eyes. The familiar feeling of warm suffocating in his chest was back and Seungcheol wanted nothing more than hug Jihoon.  
“Hey.”  
Jihoon nodded, looking anywhere but Seungcheol, which made the older boy a bit annoyed so he moved closer to Jihoon and lifted his hand to take hold of Jihoon’s smaller hand. That made Jihoon to look at him briefly, and then avert his eyes. But not get rid of Seungcheol’s hold.  
“How are you?” Seungcheol wasn’t sure what he should be saying or what he wanted to say but maybe this was a start. Jihoon shrugged again, swinging their hands a little.  
“Okay, I guess. Tired.”  
“Hmm. Have you talked to Chan? Or…?”  
“Yes. No.”  
Jihoon lifted his free hand to his left eye, rubbing it and to Seungcheol it looked like Jihoon was ready to start crying. The whole atmosphere around them was something so suffocating but at the same time so vulnerable and warm.  
“Hey, don’t rub it. Your eye will get even more upset.” Seungcheol murmured gently, pulling Jihoon’s hand away from his eyes, make up smeared.  
Soonyoung cooed.  
“Aw, you are so damn cute.”  
“We are not”, Jihoon spitted and Soonyoung laughed wholeheartedly pushing himself inside, holding two paper bags. He slumped down on the floor and Seungcheol pulled Jihoon along to sit down with them. Soonyoung started to pull out burgers and drinks from the bags, chatting away something about someone he had met on the way and how the cafeteria lady remembered his taste with apples. Seungcheol listened, nodding here and there. What he loved about Soonyoung was the fact that the boy was social and fun to have around. And it didn’t take long until they were all eating and Jihoon was choking on his drink when Soonyoung told stupid jokes that were probably more lame than actually fun.  
Jihoon was sipping his coke when Soonyoung decided it was time to smear Jihoon’s face with leftover food. Jihoon shrieked, ready to bounce on Soonyoung if the taller boy hadn’t stopped laughing and asked: “Hey, what’s wrong with your eye?” 

 

Time stopped, and then Jihoon jolted away from Soonyoung, his face blank than ever. The makeup was smeared (probably from the earlier when Jihoon had rubbed his eye and now because of Soonyoung’s attack) and the bruise was totally visible. It wasn’t as bad as it had been days ago but it was still angry colored and Seungcheol couldn’t but watch the scene unfold in front of him. 

 

“What is going on? Has someone been bullying you again?”

Words Soonyoung spilled out made Seungcheol’s movements freeze. 

“Or, wait. No, he can’t be.”  
“Soonyoung, shut the fuck up.”  
“Does Seungcheol know?” Sooyoung spun around to look at Seungcheol who shrugged.  
“Know what?”  
“That his family is not friendly as mine.”  
“I have heard.”  
“Oh fuck off!”  
Seungcheol’s sarcastic undertone might have been heard through his words and Jihoon didn’t take it that well.  
“You don’t even know anything!”  
“Well you don’t tell me anything!”  
“I will get some dessert for us”, the dancer with them murmured, already at the door. 

 

And suddenly it was now or never. 

 

Seungcheol waited until Soonyoung was out of the door, and then he moved carefully towards Jihoon. The younger boy looked like small and afraid cat which was ready to bounce if provoked. 

“Fuck, Jihoon. I can’t do a thing if you don’t tell me what’s going on inside your head!” Jihoon sneered at him and Seungcheol groaned, frustrated.  
“Jihoonnie, please, work with me here. You have been so busy and keeping things from me that if someone’s, mainly mine it seems, thoughts don’t match up with yours, you became so aggressive!”  
It felt like Seungcheol could finally pour his heart out. Jihoon’s stance visibly loosened but he was still very tense and Seungcheol moved closer. Jihoon let him but when Seungcheol tried to touch, he jerked away.  
So Seungcheol started talking, carefully not to make too sudden movement.  
“Because you have been like that I have found myself being careful about what I say around you, or what I do around you.”  
He cornered Jihoon against the mirror, circling his arms around the smaller boy. Jihoon kept resisting, not very forcefully, probably just for sake of it. After minutes of struggle Seungcheol had his arms around Jihoon properly, holding him in place. He leaned closer and tried to keep his voice steady as spoke out all of the things he had wanted to say to the younger man.  
“I mean, we haven’t been friends that long but I felt that you would know what I’m thinking about without me even saying it, like, that’s the feeling I got.”  
Jihoon was trembling now and Seungcheol loosened his hold, gently caressing Jihoon’s back.  
“And I think… that got us into this problem…”  
Jihoon had tears in his eyes by now and Seungcheol sighed.  
“I mean, I feel like you are special... and I know you think that I’m special too, other vice we wouldn’t be having this conversation, right?”  
Jihoon nodded, sniffing.  
“So Jihoonnie, talk to me. Please.”  
There was couple of minutes silence before Jihoon started.  
“My brother is average. He is not one you could call prodigy or super talented at everything like they say I am or my other older brother is. He is good in what he does but… in a family like ours it causes stress and pressure on me, on my brothers, older and younger.”  
Seungcheol was drawing circles on Jihoon’s back, rubbing gently.  
“And I don’t know. He kind of snapped when I came out to them and said I had boyfriend and hung out with you. Like I was personally trying to insult him and his efforts of being great big brother by being…gay and...and being myself…”  
Seungcheol hugged him tighter, remembering Jun’s words from the fateful wedding night. Jihoon’s legs gave out and Seungcheol gently led them down on the floor, pulling Jihoon into his lap. Jihoon was breathing heavily and didn’t say anything for a moment but Seungcheol knew better than interrupt the flow.  
“And you have no idea how happy I was when you made me hang out with you and your stupid friends. And I got to meet Yoongi hyung and Soonyoung and I was just starting to… I don’t know, live?”  
“There is nothing wrong with that, right?” Seungcheol murmured, a small smile making it to his face when he heard those words.  
“No. But that night didn’t end well and yeah, I got a black eye. And project is giving me headache and as much I love the Kims, oh God, they give me headache.”  
Seungcheol laughed, patting Jihoon’s hair now.  
“I’m sorry.”  
“I’m sorry too.”  
They sat in silence, Seungcheol biting his lower lip, pondering over the idea forming inside his head.  
“I think you should come and live with me and Jisoo.”  
Jihoon snorted and Seungcheol laughed too, relaxing. Yes, it was stupid, oh so stupid but Seungcheol would feel so much better if Jihoon was close.  
“No. I wouldn’t want to bother you. Also Jeonghan would probably have a fit if I did.”  
“He is just jealous because I have a cute boyfriend like you.”  
“Ugh, no, I’m not cute. And no, he hates me because I leading that project group. He didn’t cover his displeasure with it well.”  
“Give him time.”  
Jihoon hummed, his head resting against Seungcheol chest and the older man leaned his head against the mirror behind them.  
It was relaxing, and Seungcheol was happy that they had gotten over one thing that had been causing tension between them. He still had millions of questions but that had to wait for another story time.  
This was now, Jihoon safely and happily in his hug, his arms securely around the smaller body. Like in many other moments when they had been this close, Jihoon fit in his arms so perfectly.  
“God, you are disgustingly in love.”  
Jihoon gave a finger to Soonyoung who barked out laughter.  
Seungcheol smiled (his heart searing) when he realized Soonyoung truly believed in them being in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \o/  
> I adore 95-line. And Soonyoung. Also that conversation was totally inspired by Seungcheol's famous campfire intervention. It breaks my heart every freaking time. 
> 
> Next: the Jihoon interlude~


	9. INTERLUDE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Don’t wanna be lonely. Just wanna be yours._   
>  _Listen to my heart beat. It’s calling you at its own will._
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Alternatively, Jihoon has fallen hard for Seungcheol. Always had and always will.

Jihoon grew up in a loving family, he was the youngest for so long that he got used to pampering but when Chan was born, everything changed. Well, not that much actually but he wasn’t the youngest anymore and somehow all the pressure relating to the matters his older brothers had been dealing with and didn’t fulfill, now fall on to him. But when he was young, he didn’t notice that. He just lived his life enjoying his friends and music. 

 

And did Jihoon had friends, oh he did. He was lucky to have some same age friends in the neighborhood and his Yoongi hyung from the across the street. When Jihoon was younger, the truly didn’t care about girls or dating and relationships. He cared about how the guitar strings felt under his fingers, how beat made his body move and the lyrics poured out from his heart. He didn’t care when his parents or brothers tried to make him meet some nice girl they knew but Jihoon would sneak out to hang out with his friends, cling to the feeling of Yoongi’s arms around him. 

His excuse not to deal with his parents set ups, was that he didn’t have time: he had songs to sing, beats to dance and lyrics to write. But the older hew grew, the harder it got to have just fun and mess around. Pressure caught on him and his parents’ expectations didn’t help much. Luckily his oldest brother announced that he was dating a sweet and approved girl so Jihoon was off the hook for a while. He continued to live his life as he had before: dancing, singing and laughing. But still, he truly didn’t care about dating. Just later when Jihoon realized he was platonically admiring, albeit dreamingly, his dance instructor’s assistant, that he didn’t want to meet nice girls but nice boys who were as passionate about music and life as he was.

 

The change, however, happened when they moved away. To be honest Jihoon had actually lied to Seungcheol. It had been them moving, not Yoongi. They had been street neighbors, Yoongi always treating him with smiles and gently encouragements when they were writing songs. Jihoon knew his parents didn’t really approve of his choice of friends, Yoongi’s friends being a little bit too rough and loud for his parents’ liking. Jihoon thou didn’t care and he still remembered with affection those summer nights when Yoongi had dragged him to the beach and they had meet up with Yoongi’s loud friends and laughed and danced and Jihoon had played guitar, loving everything about it. It might have been just a coincidence but when Jihoon had been seventeen, he had seen Yoongi kiss a boy in the false safety of the dark night. A week later, they had moved. The new school hadn’t been as gently as the one he had grown up and had had his friends around. Teasing was evident because of his body type and somewhat too bubbly personality at that time. And also, in his young, wavering and scared mind moving away from the safety of his friends everything was related to what he had (and maybe his parents) seen and Jihoon closed up for years. 

It wasn’t until in university when he met up with obnoxiously loud Seungkwan and obnoxiously annoying Mingyu that Jihoon had started to feel safe to be what he was and wanted to be. With Mingyu he shared lot of classes and tall boy didn’t leave him alone, always talking and bragging about his friends (who reminded Jihoon of Yoongi and his friends). His mind and body started to grave for dancing in the midnight, laughing and everything that had once been so dear to him. Seungkwan was loud and so extra but he was truly inspiring to have around. They wrote lyrics in middle of the night and Seungkwan had a wonderful tendency to break into a song anywhere. It was surprise to Jihoon that he could actually call those two as his friends. He was bad at making friends and he usually made more enemies than friends (Jeonghan was one of those stories of friendship gone wrong) but Jihoon was fine. He kept his cold and snarky first impression as his trademark and it worked. He could still do what he loved the most, work with music. 

Until his brother announced the wedding news. It was stupid, oh so stupid, like a wedding made his brother’s duties for the family completed. Because every time when Jihoon sneered at the wedding talk, he was met with words like “when it’s your time” or “you will understand when you meet the right girl” and so on, that made Jihoon sick. So sick that he grew angrier and sulkier and he wasn’t sure what to do anymore. He felt like he was in a breaking point with no return. 

 

Jihoon remembered the day when he had truly seen Choi Seungcheol. The older man had been playing basketball with his friends and Jihoon hadn’t even supposed to be looking or paying attention to the game (he had more important things to do) but something about the way Seungcheol had moved on the court had made his eyes follow the older man. The tank top had been stuck on the older man’s body, loose shorts showing off the tights and black hair stuck to his face due the sweat. And that stupidly adorable laugh could have been heard through the yard. Jihoon might have developed a hard crush on a boy he barely knew. 

So it had totally been Seungcheol’s own fault that Jihoon had walked up to him at the wedding venue and made him play a part in his sad love life. From what he had gathered from observing the older male from afar for maybe a year was that Seungcheol was sweet to almost everyone, smiles and nice words trapping you in and the older would be ready to take a bullet for you. Jihoon had been sure he would be safe with Seungcheol and he could easily explain everything and Seungcheol would probably still forgive him. What he hadn’t expected was his brother’s reaction to his news. 

 

That night had been volatile but the most Jihoon remembered from it was Seungcheol's gently hold of his hand and a thumb brushing against his knuckles. 

 

Jihoon’s life after that had been one big mess, his anxiousness just growing and growing, and the sensitive bubble around him ready to burst. Seungcheol had been just what he had expected, true to his words and ready to do anything for you. Seungcheol made sure that they were friends and Jihoon wanted to scream. It was so weird how familiar Seungcheol felt, how safe Jihoon felt around him and how complete everything felt when Seungcheol just took a hold of his hand. 

 

The fake relationship had been a great idea inside his head and Seungcheol was nothing but perfect to his role but Jihoon’s restless mind wasn’t ready for it, not at all. He wasn’t ready for those lips to be pressed against his cheek when he wanted anything more than have them against his lips. He wasn’t ready to be swooned and cared for. He tried to keep the distance, oh he so tried but Seungcheol didn’t take it, dragging him to an arcade date (Jihoon hadn’t had that much fun in ages), lunch date (Jihoon hated to see Seungcheol give so much attention to Jeonghan, even if just a platonic but the fuck he knew about those two) and the most recent, to his gig. Seungcheol - _S.Coups_ \- was talented and Jihoon had met with Yoongi, his heart almost bursting from seeing his hyung. And Jihoon easily gave in, Seungcheol’s hand having made its imprint on his skin.

 

But everything nice was bound to be crashed. 

 

Jihoon remembered walking away, then feeling a hand on his shoulder and the next thing he had known had been Chan calling him and telling him to contact Seungcheol and how everything would be alright. 

Nothing would be alright. 

Seungcheol had been rigid and Jihoon had hidden under the blankets, waiting for the older man to come back to the futon but no, Seungcheol had just sat there and done nothing. Jihoon wouldn’t blame him. He would call of their deal as soon as he could. But they had been avoiding each others, probably not really knowing what to say or do. Jihoon hated it how much he needed Seungcheol, how much he wanted Seungcheol’s arms around himself. Jihoon hated it how he had fallen hard for the older man and how special Seungcheol felt to him. And to his surprise the feeling wasn’t one-sided. He also hated it how easily Seungcheol pulled the vulnerable side of him out. Jihoon hated the fact that he wasn’t good with words, he couldn’t verbalize his thoughts and wants to Seungcheol. 

 

And he actually even couldn’t. He couldn’t just say to Seungcheol to take him away, take him to somewhere safe and sound. But oh how he wanted to. 

 

\---

 

Jihoon stared ahead as Seungcheol slowed down the car, eventually to a full stop.  
“My offer still stands.”  
Jihoon smiled tiredly. “I will keep that in mind.”  
He didn’t make any movements to get out of the car.  
“I don’t know if Mingyu has already bragged about it but… the project we have been working on is having a floorshow on next Thursday and if you… you don’t have anything…”  
Seungcheol smiled at him.  
“I would love to come and see. “  
“My… brothers are probably going to be there. I told Chan about it and I know they aren’t letting him go alone.”  
Seungcheol hummed.  
“I will play my part, boyfriend.”  
Jihoon closed his eyes, trying to prevent the tears. He hated it how easily Seungcheol joked about their matter and all he wanted to was to joke back as easily but the recent events made him only want to scream.  
“Want me to come up?”  
“I will be fine”, Jihoon murmured, finally getting rid of the seat belt around his body. There was no need for fake kisses so Jihoon reached out for the door handle but Seungcheol hand on his knee stopped him. When Jihoon turned to his driver, Seungcheol leaned forward and planted a small kiss on his forehead, ruffling his hair when he retreated to his side of the car. Jihoon blinked at him, feeling his ears burn. Seungcheol smiled. 

 

This was exactly what Jihoon hated about Seungcheol. The man was so sweet that Jihoon wanted nothing more than be real boyfriends with him. 

 

But he couldn’t, he just couldn’t. 

He sneered (to hide his embarrassment) at Seungcheol who burst out into laughter and Jihoon hastily fumbled for the door handle. Before he could slam the door on Seungcheol’s gorgeous face the man beamed at him and waved. “Have good dreams about me~”  
Jihoon gave him a finger but he still stayed at the curb, watching Seungcheol to drive away. 

 

He was so fucking screwed. 

\----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early update I think. :D  
> It's still the 19th in my country so maybe I was feeling giggly. :D 
> 
> I also recommend you to listen BTS's "Save Me", it's like Jihoon's theme for this fic hahah. 
> 
> And I think after this we will get some Jihoon's povs as the story moves forward. And thank you for the kudos and comments and everything~


	10. Before you fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nervousness and doubt is everywhere.  
> Who will break?
> 
> Alternatively: Sungmin is a dick behind the scenes.

Jihoon closed the door behind himself while listening to the sounds coming from the living room; laughs of two people. When he moved closer to the cloth closet, he could see how Ryeowook leaned backwards to greet him and waved his hand towards his direction from the couch.  
“Food is in the fridge!”  
“Thanks”, Jihoon murmured back and got rid of his jacket and shoes. He heard Ryeowook to talk to someone and to his surprise it wasn’t Mingyu but some of the Ryeowook’s friends. The man was tall and lanky, lounging on the arm chair and squinting his eyes at him.  
“This is him, Sungmin’s brother?”  
Ryeowook nodded without taking his eyes off from the TV. The man on the arm chair made a face.  
“He is so tiny.”  
“I am not tiny, you giant”, Jihoon spat without thinking and the stranger blinked at him, eyes wide from the surprise. Jihoon almost apologized for being rude but the man barked out a laugh, turning his eyes on Ryeowook, who was still entranced with the TV.  
“I like him.”  
“Told you so.”  
Jihoon understood very little to what was going on and Mingyu saved him from further confusion by coming home and dragging Jihoon to the kitchen to join him for the dinner. When they had food in front of them and Mingyu was longingly moaning into his spaghetti, Jihoon cleared his throat.  
“Who is he with Wookie hyung?”  
“Oh. Kyuhyun. Best friends or something.”  
Jihoon nodded slowly. “He seems to know my brother.”  
Mingyu stopped eating, pasta hanging from his mouth. Jihoon gave him a look.  
“Of course he knows. Kyuhyun hyung knows everyone.”  
“And I asked Seungcheol to come to the showcase.”  
It was Mingyu’s time to give him a look.  
“So you are again talking with him?”  
“Soonyoung set us up for a lunch date with him.”  
Mingyu rolled his eyes. “Typical Soonyoung. How long is this deal between you two going to last? It isn’t healthy, hyung.”  
Jihoon rubbed his eyes. “I know. I will try to figure it out.”  
Mingyu hummed, putting his fork down and coming from the other side of the table and awkwardly pulled Jihoon into a hug.  
“I know Cheollie hyung gives way better hugs than I do but… remember I am here for you too. Also call Seungkwan, he has been pestering me.”  
Jihoon snorted but nodded without really hugging Mingyu back, he just patted the taller boy’s sides. They were awkward like that but Jihoon appreciated Mingyu’s efforts nonetheless. 

 

\---

 

Two days of close break downs and hecticness and Seungcheol felt like he was the one participating in the show case, not Jihoon and Mingyu. Even thou they talked and Jihoon opened up about his brother, Seungcheol still felt like he was walking on thin ice. Jihoon was holed up in the practice rooms with other participants.  
Seungcheol had managed to drag both Mingyu and Jihoon out of the practice rooms to enjoy some fresh air during both of the days. Today he was even more surprised that his efforts had been met because Jihoon only glanced at his direction when he appeared to door and announced that they were going to have a lunch break. Mingyu gave thumb ups to Seungcheol when Jihoon’s back was turned.  
“He has been the most nicest hyung today! Like, he has been waiting for you to appear, please do this more!”  
Seungcheol laughed and led the way to the cafeteria, listening Mingyu and Jihoon to talk about fine details of their significant performances.

He already had his food so when they arrived to the cafeteria, all he had to do was to wait for the younger ones to get theirs from the buffet line and join him. Seungcheol turned to look around to find a proper spot to wait when he spotted Jeonghan giving him stinky eye from nearby bench. Seungcheol grinned, bounced to him and slumped down next to him on the bench while waiting. Jeonghan groaned at him but didn’t shake him away when Seungcheol leaned against Jeonghan’s shoulder.  
“You have been avoiding me.”  
Seungcheol hummed, his eyes closed. He could almost feel Jihoon watching them somewhere.  
“Sorry”, he murmured and Jeonghan hummed back.  
“Still dating the goblin? He keeps glancing here.”  
“Yeah. We are supposed to go eat outside. Want to join?”  
“No. I am actually waiting Minghao.”  
Seungcheol hummed. “The exchange student from China? I thought Jun was in charge of that.”  
“Yeah, he is but I kind of owed him a favor and he has been busy so I offered to tutor Minghao.”  
Jeonghan put his hand on Seungcheol’s knee and Seungcheol covered it with his. They sat in a silence for a moment until Jeonghan turned his head a little.  
“Are you feeling any better?” Jeonghan murmured and Seungcheol nodded.  
“Yeah. I talked it out with the goblin.”  
Jeonghan snorted. They stayed like that for a moment, heads leaning against each others.  
“I heard he is staying at Mingyu’s place.”  
“Hmm.”  
“Why not with you?”  
Seungcheol lifted his head from Jeonghan’s shoulder and smiled crookedly.  
“He said you visit me way too much for his liking.”  
Jeonghan burst out into laughter and Seungcheol grinned, poking his friend’s side.  
“Why can’t you two get along? Two of my favorite people in the world should get along.”  
Jeonghan snorted. “Don’t let Jisoo hear that, he would be heartbroken.”  
“It is his own fault that he is only the third best; he didn’t leave me pizza yesterday. But seriously speaking, why?”  
Jeonghan gave him a blank look. Seungcheol rolled his eyes.  
“Jihoon isn’t that bad. He just… gets nasty when he is under the pressure.”  
“You won’t leave me alone with this, will you?”  
Seungcheol grinned. “Not until you say you will at least try.”  
“If he tries too”, Jeonghan nodded his head and Seungcheol turned, only to witness Jihoon to march out of the cafeteria, hysterical Mingyu trying to catch Seungcheol’s eye.  
“Oh fuck!”  
“Told you. Call me, Cheol!” Jeonghan waved as Seungcheol scrambled up and jogged to Mingyu who wailed at him.  
“Hyung! He is under super pressure and his mood of fury can go from one to ten so fast it’s no joke! And even if you are boyfriends or whatever, you keep being dick even without noticing!” the younger man wailed. Seungcheol groaned and followed him out the hall.  
“But I was just talking with Jeonghan! Christ!  
Mingyu patted his shoulder.  
“I know hyung, but please. Jihoon gets nasty when he is angry. I mean, you asked us to join for food but you ditch us for—“  
“I was waiting for you!”  
Mingyu closed his mouth and nodded. “Right. Arguing about this is stupid. Sorry hyung.”  
“I’m sorry too.” Seungcheol rubbed the brick of his nose. “Let’s go and find that grumpy little one.”  
Mingyu snorted.  
“Don’t let Jihoon to hear you call him something like.”  
“Hmm.”  
“Hey! Mister Choi!”  
Seungcheol and Mingyu slowed down when one of the older professors approached them. Seungcheol patted Mingyu’s arm. “Go find Jihoon and text me where you are at. I will follow.”  
Mingyu nodded, bowed to the professor before jogging down the hall.  
“You were called to the teachers’ lounge. Someone wants to talk with you.”  
“With me? Why?”  
Professor shrugged, continuing his way to the opposite direction. Seungcheol groaned, weighting the food in his hand. It would take time from Mingyu to text him so he might as well go and find out why he is called and by whom. 

 

\-----

 

Jihoon stared blankly at Seungkwan who was having a fit middle of the practice. Well, not quite, they were still on the lunch break (he could basically see the grease in Mingyu’s hands) but Seungkwan was still middle of it and having a fit. 

“I don’t accept this!” The younger man boomed and Jihoon watched with sort of pleasure when Seungcheol tried to lean away from him but Seungkwan just took a step forward, stabbing him in the chest with his finger.  
“I’m devastated that I got to hear about your relationship with Jihoonnie only now!” He narrowed his eyes at Seungcheol. “You don’t do any good to him.”  
“I’m sorry? He can date whoever he wants?” Seungcheol stated hesitantly, trying to catch Jihoon’s eyes and get some support but Jihoon was having none of it. He was still pissed at Seungcheol, for good reason even thou Mingyu had said Seungcheol had been called to teacher’s office for a reason or other. 

Seungkwan pouted.  
“Jihoonnie isn’t like you or Vernonnie, no, I don’t allow this to continue!” Seungkwan declared. Seungcheol looked like a lost child, not really knowing what to do. Jihoon just stared at them with an unchanging face, occasionally sipping his drink. Mingyu kept laughing and cackling. 

This was freaking bizarre. 

Jihoon had been having one of his stupid angry fits when Seungkwan had barked inside the practice room, dragging very disturped looking Seungcheol behind. And before they could question this, Seungkwan had started his whining about the fact that he was not informed of Seungcheol and Jihoon's relationship.

Finally, Seungcheol pouty lips did it and Jihoon sighed.  
“Seungkwan.”  
“Yes, dear?”  
“I can date whoever I want and I want date Seungcheol. Now shut up,” Jihoon stated, shaking his drink (empty now) and went to throw it away.  
“But Seungcheol! He is…. puff!”  
“Is that a bad thing?” Seungcheol wondered making Mingyu almost choke on his spit (Jihoon would have loved that).  
Jihoon closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.  
“I don’t have to fancy same kind of body type as you, Boo, and find Seungcheol’s just fine. Can we now go back to the practice?”  
Seungkwan huffed.  
“No! Why didn’t you tell me until now, what way too many weeks after that you two are dating?”  
“Because I knew you would have a fit.”  
“This is not a fit!”  
Jihoon rolled his eyes. “I’m sorry, I was rude when I did not tell you. Happy now?”  
Seungkwan squinted his eyes, like wondering what Jihoon was up to but he apparently couldn’t uncover anything from Jihoon’s expression so he huffed, defeated.  
“Apology accepted. You own me lunch.”  
“Sure.”  
Seungkwan gave Seungcheol a stinky eye before leaving the room and Jihoon had to kick Mingyu to get ready for the practice that was about to start again soon. Jihoon glanced at Seungcheol who was leaning against the wall, looking somewhat absentminded. Jihoon bit his lips before making his way to the other man. 

“Hey.”  
Seungcheol turned his head to meet Jihoon who slumped next to him against the wall. Not too close but close enough to keep everyone else away from their conversation.  
“Mingyu told me you were called by a teacher. Anything bad?”  
Seungcheol blinked at him, and Jihoon could tell he was thinking something. After a moment or two, Seungcheol smiled gently at him, trying to look reassuring.  
“It was nothing important. Some credits missing or so but I have it solved, so no worries. “  
Jihoon nodded, licking his lips and he could tell from Seungcheol’s arched eye brows that the other knew he wanted to say something, so he kept silence, waiting and watching.  
“Did you get to eat?”  
Well what a nice starting line, way to go Jihoon. He wanted smack himself.  
Seungcheol snorted, lifting the paper bag, his food probably cold inside it.  
“I was dragged to here after I exited the teachers’ lounge so no. “  
Jihoon frowned and actually bit down on lower lip, uneasy with that fact. Seungcheol smiled, patting him on the head.  
“It’s okay, I will leave you to practice and go get something to eat.”  
“Alright. Well, see you on Thursday then.”  
Jihoon stood in place for a moment, wondering if he should hug Seungcheol or what but he chickened out before Seungcheol could question him and walked to Mingyu and some of their group mates who had started to gather to the practice room. Seungcheol sighed, pushing himself away from the wall and with a one last look at Jihoon, he walked out of the door. 

 

It was good practice. They had finished their practice for the day and Mingyu pulled a sweater over his head, Jihoon next to him jiggling with the keys. Mingyu hummed. Jihoon had been kind of giddy since the lunch break.  
“He looked distressed.”  
Mingyu looked up at him and Jihoon huffed, annoyed, when a shit-eating grin appeared on his friend’s face.  
“Aaaw, poor grumpy Jihoonnie actually cares. I thought it was an end game when he talked with Jeonghan hyung.”  
“Shut up. I will never talk to you again.”  
Mingyu laughed at him and left him be when Jihoon stomped out of the practice room.  
He knew it was irrational to get angry whenever Seungcheol interacted with Jeonghan but something just trigged him off with the kind faced upperclassman. Not that he hated Jeonghan but as said, they didn’t share a bond of loving friendship.  
And Sungmin was giving him headache too. His older brother hadn’t tried to contact him in ages but Chan had told him they were planning to come to the showcase, all of them, which made Jihoon feel anxious. He wasn’t sure if Sungmin was planning on something.  
And what came to Mingyu’s accusation of him caring… well, he cared damn. He slowed down when he heard Mingyu call after him (they shared a living space after all). They had only a day until the showcase and Jihoon was nervous. Not for performance no, he knew he would nail it but for Seungcheol meeting with his brothers. Or maybe he was nervous of holding up his brothers’ expectations.  
“Hey, don’t look so distressed man,” Mingyu murmured and Jihoon made a face.  
“Much better! And don’t worry, I am sure Seungcheol hyung will come tomorrow and cheer on you just in spite of Jeonghan hyung.”  
“Well that made me feel special,” Jihoon groaned and Mingyu laughed, walking ahead of him and Jihoon bit his lip. He sure hoped Seungcheol would show up. He needed Seungcheol to show up. 

 

\------ 

 

“Oh. You are home.”  
Seungcheol lifted his head and was met with Jisoo whose eyes were wide from curiosity as he closed the door behind him.  
“I thought the showcase started already..?”  
Seungcheol turned his head way.  
“Yeah, I just finished my report and… I thought I could eat something…”  
There was a beat of silence and then: “Are you going to ditch the showcase?”  
Seungcheol hold his breath and then huffed under Jisoo’s judging gaze.  
“Yes.”  
Jisoo blinked at him.  
“Can I ask why? I mean, Jihoon particularly asked you to go… are you fighting again?  
Seungcheol sighed.  
“No. It’s… complicated.”  
Jisoo hummed, taking off the jacket and moving to the kitchen to accompany him.  
“Care to share?”  
Seungcheol hummed, leaning on the table. He would lose nothing if he did and maybe talking with Jisoo would clear his head. It always had helped to talk with his roommate.  
“His brother wanted to talk with me another day at the university. He is a teacher there.”  
Jisoo nodded, sitting down at the opposite of him.  
“And… he said I shouldn’t go to the showcase.”  
Seungcheol had had a nightmare about the encounter. Sungmin sitting behind his teacher desk, looking all judging at him, ordering him not go.  
“Why?”  
“Probably because he would let someone at the school know about the wedding crashing stuff.”  
Jisoo blinked at him.  
“Was he… threatening you?”  
“Not really? But… I don’t do wedding crashing on my own, you know.”  
Jisoo gave him a look.  
“Cheol, with all the respect, you don’t even bother with him.”  
Seungcheol knew that. He didn’t even know why he was so shaken up by Sungmin’s words, because he really couldn’t understand the true reason behind Jihoon's older brother's actions. What it all would do to Jihoon? Get a rise out of him? What was the point?  
“And here you sit? Why?” Jisoo took a calming breath and Seungcheol knew he was about to receive a lecture.  
“He threatens to reveal your wedding crasher nature? So what, it is not actually illegal, I mean. I don’t know why but to me it seems like you are trying to get easy way out of the relationship with Jihoon.”  
The thought was brief but Seungcheil wondered if this was truly just to show Jihoon that Seungcheol was not trusted?  
Jisoo frowned, thinking. “Is it because of Jeonghan? Seungcheol, please, are you trying to please Jeonghan? He can be stupid and spoiled but he would ever--”  
Seungcheol spluttered. “What has Jeonghan to do with this?”  
Jisoo gave him a look.  
Seungcheol pursed his lips tightly together.  
“You know Jeonghan. He can be difficult when—“  
“It’s is not!” Seungcheol groaned, waving his hands around.  
“I mean… it’s not like what you are saying. I’m not… trying to get an easy way out.”  
“You are not? Then why are you still here?”  
“I don’t know!”  
“Jihoon is your boyfriend! And what I have gathered from what you have told me about his family, this showcase is something where he needs his boyfriend to be” Jisoo stated firmly. “Are you really leaving Jihoon all by himself there? Are you really doing this to him? He trusts you to show up!” 

It was it. Like a slap in your face.  
Seungcheol bit his lip and not for the first time thought that maybe Jisoo know more than he let on but this was not the time to start questioning what his friend knew and what not. It was like Jisoo could read his thoughts because suddenly the stern look was gone from his face and he smiled the familiar, calm smile like he always did to reassure Seungcheol’s doubts.  
“Cheollie, go now and think and ask later”, he stated, patting gently at Seungcheol’s arm. 

Thoughts inside his head were spinning, making a messy mass. It was frustrating, it really was. He hated Jisoo for the fact that his roommate was very good at guilty tripping him of things he hadn’t even thought out properly. He really was a coward when he had thought of not going. It was actually stupid now that he thought about it because this was actually a situation where Jihoon needed him the most. This was the kind of situation where their deal took a stand for. And he didn’t want to end their deal with him being a coward. 

 

\-----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had s horrible writer's block with this one and I'm still not that pleased with it, we'll see if I do some heavy editing later but we go this for now. 
> 
> Thank you for all the love you have given to this story~ /o/ <3


	11. When I need you the most

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night is freaking bizarre.

\-----

He was late but he made it on time to see Jihoon’s stage.  
And what a stage it was.  
It was fun, it was entertaining and Seungcheol’s breath caught when Jihoon jumped from the table and his voice almost cracked but not quite but it was only due the jump, nothing else and Jihoon finished the song with so much confidence and grins and Seungcheol couldn’t but smile widely as the final chorus echoed inside the hall: _“you already took away all of me, baby look at me now, baby look at me now!”_

 

Just moments ago Seungcheol was ready to jump from the bridge and full of anxiousness but any thoughts of doubt had vanished from his mind. Just watching Jihoon perform and enjoy what he loved to do made Seungcheol so proud of the younger man. Seungcheol was excited and all he wanted to do was to find Jihoon, lift him up and spin around. He didn’t quite get it but the performance had made him so happy. Jihoon truly was talented and he could not wait to get perform with him some day. 

 

He had to wait until the whole show was over and the performers had left the stage to try and find Jihoon. When he finally spotted Jihoon among the people, he grinned widely and made his way towards the younger man. He almost missed the fact that Jihoon was actually talking with someone but when Seungcheol came to his view, the younger man stopped talking and his eyes widened almost comically.  
“Seungcheol! I thought you—“  
“I was held back, sorry! I didn’t miss your performance thou! It was so much fun!” Seungcheol beamed and he was ducking down and spreading his arms out to indicate that he was about to hug Jihoon. Jihoon grinned, albeit still looking somewhat confused as he opened his arms and Seungcheol hugged him, his head leaning shortly against shorter man’s shoulder. When he pulled back, Jihoon looked astonished, but in a good way and Seungcheol grinned widely. He took a hold of Jihoon’s hands and shook their linked hands up and down. Jihoon grinned and Seungcheol got the urge to lean in and kiss those corners of lips but someone cleared their throat somewhere close. 

 

Chan was looking at them, eyes twinkling gently, so was the man next to him. He looked more amused than bothered. Sungmin on the other hand looked gloom even thou his wife (Seungcheol assumed the lady holding his hand was his wife) smiled gently at their direction.  
“Ah, Seungcheol. This... is my family.” Jihoon muttered and Seungcheol gripped his hand tighter and Jiihoon took a deep breath.  
“You have met Chan and Sungmin hyung, Jinki hyung, this is Seungcheol, my boyfriend.”  
The man standing between Chan and Sungmin smiled wider and took a step forward, holding his hand out for Seungcheol to shake it. Seungcheol noted that his eyes also almost vanished when he smiled, much like Jihoon’s.  
“I almost thought you were just friends. Nice to meet you Seungcheol, I have heard a lot of you.”  
“Ah, nice to meet you too. Hopefully you’ve heard only good things of me”, Seungcheol laughed, being happy that Jinki’s grip of his hand wasn’t too tight or threatening.  
Jinki laughed, letting go and pulled back.  
“Good thing, bad things, it’s about the perspective.”  
Seungcheol laughed nervously, not sure what the comment meant but Jihoon brushed his knuckles with his thumb and Seungcheol felt calm again.  
“So you liked brother’s performance?” Chan beamed and Seungcheol nodded. Jihoon groaned and Seungcheol felt him to lean against his side.  
“Yep! I really love the way Jihoon dances!”  
“I want to be a dancer too, someday! One of our cousins is and he is so good!” Chan grinned and Jinki smiled fondly at him. “Will you come and see me perform too, Seungcheol hyung?”  
“Sur—“  
“I thought this was a family gathering.”  
Sungmin voice was sullen and cold as ice and Seungcheol’s smile faltered. Jihoon’s grip on his hand tightened almost painfully. Chan also pulled back a bit. Jinki hummed, glanced at his older brother.  
“But isn’t boyfriend part of the family too? In a same way as wife is?”  
Seungcheol hold his breath because to him it looked like Sungmin was ready to throw a fit but the lady next to him took a gently hold of his arm.  
“Sungmin dear, I want to taste some wine, you think they have some here?”  
“They have wine table near the entrance”, Seungcheol piped up because he had snatched one glass when he had entered, just for the nerves. The lady nodded at him and started to drag (elegantly thou) Sungmin away. When the pair disappeared into the crowd, both Chan and Jihoon let the air they had been holding in, out and their shoulders slumped, relaxing. Jinki snorted at them.  
“He isn’t that bad.”  
Chan rolled his eye. “You don’t live with him every day, hyung!” the youngest Lee groaned and Seungcheol felt Jihoon’s death weight on him. Jinki hummed glancing at them.  
“Come on Chan, let them talk.” And with that he pulled his youngest brother along and Seungcheol turned to hold Jihoon up better.  
“Hey.”  
Jihoon didn’t look at him, only pressed in more, his hold of Seungcheol’s hand tightening.  
“I thought you weren’t coming. Sungmin said you weren’t coming—“  
All the walls inside Seungcheol broke when he heard Jihoon’s small trembling voice and he couldn’t anymore control the things he was about to say aloud.  
“I’m sorry! Oh God, I was stupid!” Seungcheol groaned, lifting Jihoon’s head to see his eyes. He brushed Jihoon’s cheek gently with his thumb. The younger one looked like he was about to the break down.  
“He… your brother I mean, was the teacher calling for me the other day. And he told me not to come because… I mean, these are his words: ' _Woozi is not just some nobody. He has made a name of himself and you are not a very acceptable acquaintance, mister S.Coups_.' And I mean, that was a blow to my confidence and then Seungkwan kept sputtering about how you aren’t worth of me. And I just….” Seungcheol took a deep breath before his eyes met with Jihoon’s wide ones. “…paniced. After all the shit I told you in that practice room and then I do this. I’m so sorry you had to doubt me.”  
Jihoon stared at him without saying anything and Seungcheol smiled a little.  
“If I can say one more thing before you kick my ass, your show was amazing. I couldn’t but look at you!”  
Jihoon made a face and Seungcheol burst out into laughter when a red hue appeared to Jihoon’s cheeks.  
“You are impossible!”  
“But you like me anyway!”  
Jihoon groaned and there was something in Jihoon’s eyes Seungcheol didn’t quite understand but then Jihoon roared and flung himself to Seungcheol and Seungcheol laughed hard, holding both of them up when Jihoon circled his arms around him for a hug. 

 

\----

 

Jihoon couldn’t believe it.  
He wanted to confront his brother right away but he wasn’t in his right mind at the moment. All the smiles and compliments Seungcheol kept throwing at him made him feel giggly, and fucking so in love he wanted to the earth to shallow him.  
He just couldn’t find himself to be angry now, even if his thoughts were mix of wanting to know everything about Sungmin’s interference and why Seungcheol had actually even bothered to think not to come.  
All he cared now was Seungcheol’s arm loosely flung around his shoulders and listen to him to chat away with Chan who had returned to talk with them. Jihoon had no energy to keep up with the conversation, his mind fuzzy with warmness.  
Seungcheol played his part so well, joking with Lee and acting polite to Jinki when the older Lee also returned to them. Jihoon felt content and happy until Mingyu appeared to their side.  
“Hey, Jihoonnie, we are leaving with Wookie hyung, are you coming or staying a bit longer with Seungcheol hyung?”  
Jihoon hadn’t really thought about it. He hadn’t really thought about anything for a while now. Seungcheol again saved him for answering.  
“I can drop him off later. If that’s okay.”  
“Sure, he does have the key so. Wookie hyung just wanted to know. “  
“When will you come back home, Jihoonnie hyung?” Chan piped up suddenly and Jihoon felt like everything around him froze. Seungcheol’s arm around his shoulder didn’t feel welcoming anymore or Jinki’s sweet smile encouraging anymore.  
“Soon”, was all he got out of mouth and from Chan’s pout he could only assume it wasn’t the answer his brother wanted. Mingyu laughed a little.  
“Well, see you later then.” and with a wave of a hand, he was again lost in the crowd. Jinki was pulled away by someone he knew and Chan kept chatting happily with Seungcheol. Jihoon stared aimlessly ahead, not really seeing people around them. Some classmates came by, complimenting his performance, giving some glances at Seungcheol’s direction but Jihoon didn’t care.

 

He wasn’t sure where the time flew but suddenly Seungcheol’s hand was on his face, turning him to look at the older boy.  
“Hey, were you spacing out or what?”  
Jihoon blushed and Chan laughed.  
“We are leaving. Call me, brother.”  
Jihoon nodded, detaching himself from Seungcheol to hug his little brother.  
“Seriously, are you okay? You were awfully quiet.”  
Jihoon turned to Seungcheol when Chan and Jinki disappeared from the sight.  
“Wouldn’t you if your brother spouts some shit to your boyfriend?”  
Seungcheol’s face fell and Jihoon bit his lips because the older man looked like a kicked puppy with his pouty lips.  
“I’m truly sorry about that. I don’t… really know what got into me. From now on I am going to stick with you.” Seungcheol offered his pinky to Jihoon.  
“Please?”

It felt weird. All about them was weird. To Jihoon it felt extremely hard to keep his front, his mask around Seungcheol who was bubbly and free spirited person. Jihoon wished to be inside Seungcheol’s hugs all day and make him laugh and be the one Seungcheol made laugh. It was so weird because no one had ever made him feel like this. 

Jihoon gulped and lifted his hand, his pinky out. Seungcheol grinned and hooked their fingers together.

“It’s a pinky promise then, babe.”  
Jihoon groaned.  
“You are fucking impossible. I need to use the bathroom. See you by your car, okay?”  
Seungcheol nodded and they went to their separate ways but Jihoon really didn’t need to go to the bathroom. He stood by the sink, staring himself at the mirror. 

His hat was askew, white shirt wrinkled and his suspenders were falling from his left shoulder. There was still some red hue left on his cheeks and Jihoon groaned, leaning on the sink with his hands. 

He felt so incomplete with and without Seungcheol because they truly weren’t anything more than just friends. Fake boyfriends and Jihoon wasn’t sure how long he could keep up with his plan. And if Sungmin was up to something that was about to hurt Seungcheol… Jihoon wasn’t going to let that happen. He rubbed his eyes and stared himself in the mirror. He needed to prioritize his aims. 

 

Why he had blurted those words out anyway at the wedding? 

 

\----

 

Seungcheol walked to the car, swinging the keys in his hand. The night had turned out to go better than he had expected even if Jihoon had been so quiet but Seungcheol would forgive him. Maybe they could talk on the way to Mingyu’s house. It was getting a little bit chilly and he shuttered. Seungcheol was just about to open the car door when a hand appeared from behind him and blocked him from opening the door. He turned a little and Sungmin moved to stand next to him.  
Seungcheol had no idea from where the oldest Lee had come from but he was sure he didn’t like the look on the oldest Lee’s face. 

 

Sungmin didn’t smile, he didn’t even nod when Seungcheol tried politely to bow at him and ask what he was needed for. Seungcheol wondered if he was going to be skinned alive in middle of the dark parking lot and if Jihoon would find his body.  
“What are you playing at, Choi?”  
“Nothing. “  
“I specifically told you not to come.”  
Seungcheol nodded, trying to keep his cool and not to show how much he feared to trig Sungmin off.  
“I assumed it was best for me to come. I mean, Jihoon’s wrath is a horrible thing.”  
He tried to joke a little but Sungmin’s eye twitched dangerously. Seungcheol licked his lips nervously. He had no idea where this was going and Sungmin’s calmness made him nervous.  
“You will dump him.”  
“Excuse me?”  
Sungmin pulled some papers from his jacket pocket.  
“Leave him alone so he will stop this nonsense” he emphasized and thrust the papers against Seungcheol’s chest and as Seungcheol took a hold of them, he realized they were actually photographs. Photos of him and Jihoon: them inside the car, them playing arcade games, them dancing.  
“How..?” Seungcheol murmured, moving the photos aside to take a better look of all of them.  
Inside Seungcheol’s head was deep, numb buzzing and his heart was beating faster.  
“So what? He is an adult, he can see anyone he wants to”, Seungcheol stated slowly, his eyes on the photos. He didn’t dare to look at the older Lee, trying to figure out why the photos were shown to him. It wasn’t like it would really make any damage to get those spread around. That was what Jihoon wanted right? Sungmin hummed.  
“Do you really want to get those photos spread around? Do you think Jihoon, or his reputation can deal it?”  
Sungmin jabbed him and took a firm hold of his shoulder.  
“Think about it.”  
And with that he was gone. 

“Seungcheol.”  
Seungcheol snapped out of it and Jihoon stared at him.  
“Was that my brother…?”  
“Ah, yeah.”  
Seungcheol realized he was still holding the photos but he didn’t do anything to hide them when Jihoon walked closer.  
“What are those?”  
Seungcheol silently offered the stack to his friend whose eyes widened when he realized what and of whom those photos were.  
“Fuck.”  
“I don’t really care if he… I don’t know, publishes them. I mean, it could cause some damage but nothing I can’t handle. But…” Seungcheol took a careful look on Jihoon’s frozen face as the younger man glanced through the photos.  
“He has been emphasizing on your reputation.”  
“Fuck.”  
“What kind of reputation you have, aside from being genius composer or whatever?”  
Jihoon rubbed his eyes and he looked so tired that Seungcheol moved in and gave him a hug. He liked hugging Jihoon, the fit so perfectly in his arms and even if the circumstances weren’t ideal, Jihoon still leaned in for the comfort. They stood in silence for a moment. Jihoon took a deep breath.  
“Take me home.”

 

\---

 

The drive to the Lee house was quiet. Jihoon didn’t speak much, leaning against the window, holding the photos in hands.  
Seungcheol didn’t ask what was going on inside the younger one’s mind, not until he parked his car outside the Lee house but Jihoon didn't answer. There were lights on in many rooms and Jihoon took the seat belt off. He didn’t look at Seungcheol when he pushed the door open and slowly set his feet outside of the car but he didn’t stand up. 

Seungcheol bit his lip.  
“Jihoon. Are you sure? What if…”  
“Seungcheol hyung.”  
He bit down his lip to prevent himself from saying anything and Jihoon turned a little and smiled tiredly at him.  
“I’m going to be fine.”

 

Seungcheol so wanted to believe in him when he watched Jihoon to disappear with a last wave of a hand behind the front door. 

 

\-----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I won't be able to update during the weekend so here is the next chapter. 
> 
> I also need Yoseob and Woozi collab like for real. Because two of my favorite vocals, God help me.


	12. In the name of love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jihoon confronts his family.  
> Seungcheol waits.

Jihoon closed the door behind him. Even thou all the lights seemed to be on, it were eerily quiet in the downstairs. He heard some footsteps and an echo of a laugh from above so he assumed everyone must be in the big dining room.  
Jihoon let the air out from his lungs and took a step into the large lobby. On the right were the kitchen areas and his mother’s office and on the left were more offices and his mother’s assistant’s room. The Lee family’s rooms were located upstairs.  
Just as he was debating what to do and how to confront Sungmin, his mother’s assistant walked out of her room. She was nearing her forties and she was nice but Jihoon rarely spoke to her so it was kind of awkward as she stopped walking wherever she was heading when he spotted Jihoon.  
“Ah, Jihoon sir. Nice to see you around. Your mother was wondering where you went since all of your brothers came back.”  
Jihoon nodded and the lady quirked her well shaped eyebrows.  
“Well, aren’t you going to join them?”  
Something made suddenly very sense in Jihoon’s mind and he nodded. “In a minute. Here, have this.”  
He glanced down at the photos and offered the first one to the assistant. She took it and blinked.  
“Ah.”  
“That’s me and boyfriend. Good night.”  
“Oh. G-good night, sir.”  
Jihoon didn’t stay to watch the assistant to digest what she was seeing in the photo. He made his way to the kitchen and started to go through the cabinets to find any kind of tape. And when he did, he walked to the shiny fridge, cut couple of pieces of tape and taped three photos on it. Jihoon took a step back, regarding the photos. One was from them inside Seungcheol’s car and it did look like they were kissing. One in the middle was Seungcheol leading him in the market place, the food he was treated still in his mouth. And the last one was from the Seungcheol’s rap showcase and they were smiling so stupidly at each other that if Jihoon had been in any different mood he would have saved that one. 

 

Jihoon nodded approving his handiwork and made a bee line back to the lobby. He pondered if he should tape one photo to each door but he decided to tape couple into the bathroom’s mirror. Then he walked to the staircase, climbed couple of steps before stopping and taping a photo of him and Seungcheol playing the dance game between his high school graduation photo and Chan’s baby photo. He wondered briefly how long it would take anyone to notice it among the family portrays before he made his way all the way up. 

 

Now he could hear the talking and laughing almost clearly but it wasn’t his time to make an appearance, not yet. He sneaked his way towards Sungmin’s room. He taped hand-full of photos to the door, nodded, approving the photo mosaic. He taped couple photos on the surface of his parent’s bedroom door before he made his way back and past the stairs to the right side of the estate. He stopped right by the doorframe of the large dining room where is family was seated around the table. Chan still had some bread left and he was talking with Jinki who was nodding at him. Sungmin and his wife were absorbed in conversation with his mother. It was Jihoon’s phone’s message sound that made them all to turn to look at him. 

 

It was absurd how Chan’s face lit up but Sungmin looked like he had eaten a fucking citrus. His mother looked somewhat pleased to see him (he had not been home since whatever months).  
“Jihoonnie dear, I heard your showcase went well.”  
“Yes, dear mother, it went well.”  
“That’s good to hear. Did anyone record it?”  
Chan nodded, eagerly. “I did!”  
His mother smiled lovingly at Chan and Jihoon wasn’t sure how he should progress from here and his mother saved him from solving that question by asking what he was holding. 

 

Jihoon nailed his eyes on Sungmin whose eyes widened almost comically.  
“Photos.”  
“Can I see?”  
Jihoon walked to the table and swung the leftover photos on the table.  
Silence followed.  
His mother finally moved and took the closest photo. Jihoon hoped it was one of those fake kisses. Chan also moved to look photos closer. Sungmin didn’t move and Jihoon didn’t break the eye contact with him.  
“Jihoon.”  
“Yes mother?”  
“Why is this boy still in your life?”  
They had, in the wedding ceremony when Jihoon had dropped the bomb of him dating a guy, kind of overlooked the matter and probably his mother had thought it had been such a swing of emotions or whatever. Jihoon licked his dry lips before he turned to look at his mother whose facial expression he couldn’t read.  
“Because he is my boyfriend.”  
“And he is a nice boyfriend!” Chan piped up and even though Jihoon approved his support it only made their mother look at the youngest Lee with pointed look and Chan sunk down in his seat, eyes cast on the table surface.  
“Jihoon, dear, you don’t need a boyfriend.”  
“Of course I need. How else I would be able to write songs about love?” his tone was mocking and the look his mother gave him was cold.  
“There—“  
“I’m sorry, mother, I can’t find love in girls”, Jihoon interrupted quit rudely before his mother could get into the topic of how nice her friend’s daughter Amy was (Jihoon adored Amy but they were nothing but friends), they had had this conversation way too many times.  
His mother recovered fast and shrugged.  
“You don’t need your photos spread all over the place. What it could do to your reputation?”  
“I don’t care. “  
“Jihoon, what would the public do if they found out you were gay? We don’t need that in this family. Think of your brothers.”

 

Always think of his brothers. 

 

Jihoon was trembling. “I don’t care. It’s my songs people want. This…” Jihoon picked up a photo (of him and Seungcheol laughing at something at the arcade) to make a point. “…is my life and I will live it as I please.”  
“You will not”, Sungmin spat, interrupting his mother from saying what she was about to say. Jihoon watched his oldest brother to stand up, his hands flat on table.  
“He is nothing but a troublemaker! You don’t need his sort in your life!”  
Jihoon blinked at Sungmin, his eyes wide in sudden realization.  
“Like I didn’t need Yoongi in my life, right?”  
Both his mother and Sungmin snorted.  
“That boy didn’t cause any good.”  
“You know, he is known producer and a rapper, these days?” Jihoon argued and his mother hushed him.  
“You can do so much better, Jihoon dear. “  
“Yoongi might have made it to the big arenas but what has this… _S.Coups_ done? Wedding crashed? His school record isn’t the best. And even he would be just a friend, I still wouldn’t approve.”  
The way Sungmin said Seungcheol’s alter ego made Jihoon feel sick in a stomach. His family really didn’t see Seungcheol equal to him in any way. And from Sungmin’s tone Jihoon realized that neither his mother nor brother took him seriously.  
“I love him.”  
Chan’s head snapped up and the whole atmosphere in the room shifted.  
“I love him and I will not think of my brothers or if he is worth of me. I love him and you can go fuck yourself.”  
“Lee Jihoon!”  
Jihoon knew he was being too rude to his mother but Sungmin deserved all of it. His heart was racing and his mind was lulled with white noise when he watched Sungmin to make his move. There was a table in between them but Sungmin had still his glass in front of him. Like in slow motion, Jihoon watched as Sungmin’s fingers curled around the fragile piece of table ware. Maybe he could dodge it easily or maybe he could stand still and see damage unfold in front him. 

 

\-----

 

Jisoo sat with him in the living room.  
It had been an odd night.  
After Seungcheol had dropped Jihoon off, he had driven back home, interrupted Jisoo’s chat with his mysterious lover boy (Seungcheol assumed it was someone he knew, why else Jisoo would keep it secret) to accompany him and keep him sane. He had his phone nearby, waiting any kind of message from either Chan or Jihoon but it had been already an hour and he had received nothing.  
Jisoo had his laptop in front of him and he was browsing through the search content. 

_Legendary composer Woozi to participate in ---_

_Honey like voice to pierce through your heart ---_

_Songs to fight over: inside look to the new generations of composers ---_

_Woozi, the great hide and seek – who will get him to write the song ---_

_Years of silence –--_

Woozi indeed had a reputation to uphold. When they had inserted Jihoon’s name in, it had mostly been the Lee family related news: news about Chan’s birth, Sungmin’s wedding had tons of newspaper column space and there were also news of upcoming musicals of Jinki. Not many articles about Jihoon himself. But when they had searched with Woozi the amount of hits had been high.  
Seungcheol learned that Woozi had made his break through with a song called “Simple” and after that he had mainly wrote for others. It had been last year when Woozi had published a mix tape and wonders of his love life had increased. After that release Woozi had kept his quiet and Seungcheol had realized that there weren’t that many, if any, interviews from him. They had also found and old clip of Woozi performing a rap in a showcase ages ago and Seungcheol had been impressed. There seemed to be anything Woozi couldn’t do. 

 

“Hey, do you think I am not worth of Jihoon?”  
Jisoo turned to look at him and sighed.  
“I told you earlier today, didn’t I, that you are his boyfriend, the one and only he trusts.”  
Seungcheol groaned, rubbing his face with his hands. He felt so tired.  
“I just… we really didn’t got to talk about this before his brother gave me those photos.”  
Jisoo hummed.  
“But he trusts you. And you are worth. Do a Google search on your own alias, bet you get tons of hits.”  
Seungcheol laughed and watched as Jisoo typed something with the laptop and then smirked.  
“Told you so.”  
He turned the laptop so that Seungcheol could see it and true to his words, with S.Coups inserted in the search line, it did have many hits. Then an image on the photo search caught his attention.  
“Hey, what is that…”  
Jisoo clicked the said photo and they ended up in one of S.Coups’s fan sites. It was exact the same photo of them in the rap showcase that he had seen in the pile of the photos Sungmin had given to him. No more wonders from where Sungmin had gotten his photos. Seungcheol groaned, pulling out his phone. Jisoo didn’t say anything, just waited for him to finish whatever he was doing.  
“I know them, the one who took the photos of us for Sungmin.”  
“That’s good… right?”  
Seungcheol hummed. The fan site had been with his rap group from the beginning and Seungcheol knew them quit well, that’s why he actually had their phone number.  
“What is the post about?”  
Jisoo clicked the photo to get into the actual post. He hummed.  
“About the show you had. About how good you were and how you know good people, Woozi and August D.”  
Jisoo showed another photo to him, of the three of them, chatting in the crowd.  
“Nothing bad really. They are approving your choice of friends.”  
Seungcheol bit his lips but nodded. Maybe all this was just the matter of the Lee household, prestige family wanting to keep their good front with hetero normative relationships.  
“God, I wish Jihoon is alright.”  
Jisoo hummed, closing the laptop. “Hey, I’m going to take a shower. Will you manage that?”  
Seungcheol snorted and waved his hand.  
“I’m not that weak.”  
Jisoo smiled. “Thought so.”  
And with that Jisoo made his way to his room. Seungcheol listened to his roommate to move around and then pats of feet on the floor and a click of a bathroom door and then the water running. Seungcheol rubbed his eyes again. He was so tired but at the same time very restless it made him even more tired.  
He groaned, dragging his hand over his face. His phone still had no new notifications from anyone. He had texted to Mingyu, telling him that he had dropped Jihoon to the Lee house and if he heard anything, he should let Seungcheol know.  
Nothing.  
He swiped the screen to get in the group chat. 

 

**[From: Cheollie]**  
_If anyone hears anything from Woozi, please inform me._

 

It took agonizing five minutes to get the first answer.

 

**[From: Jeonghannie]**  
_He is with me._

 

\-----

 

It was Jeonghan’s brother Jungsu who opened the door for him.  
Seungcheol bowed politely. “Sorry about the disturbance at this hour.”  
“It’s okay.” Jungsu let him and pointed towards Jeonghan’s room.  
“They are there. I will lay a mattress for you. “  
Seungcheol nodded, walking to the door. Jungsu disappeared into the living room and Seuncheol knocked gently on the door before opening it.  
It’s kind of absurd to see both Jeonghan and Jihoon in the same bed; Jeonghan’s arm was loosely around Jihoon’s waist. Jihoon had lifted himself up to his elbow when Seungcheol entered the room.  
“Jeonghan is asleep”, was the first thing Jihoon whispered out and Seungcheol moved swiftly next to the bed and crouched down. When Jihoon moved to sit up more, Jeonghan groaned and both Jihoon and Seungcheol froze. They watched as Jeonghan rolled onto his other side, pulling his hand away from Jihoon. His breathing was steady and even.  
When Jihoon was free from Jeonghan, Seungcheol leaned in urgently, his hands on Jihoon face, trying to find anything indicating abuse. He rubbed his thumbs against the sides of Jihoon’s eyes, trying to smear the possible make up. Jihoon flinched and Seungcheol’s hands moved from his eyes to his lips.  
“Seungcheol… hey, _Cheollie_ , I’m fine.”  
Seungcheol let out the heavy breath, letting his hands fall to Jihoon’s neck, pulling him in and leaning their foreheads together. Jihoon’s hands found their place on Seungcheol’s wrists.  
“Thank God.”Seungcheol whispered after a moment and he opened his eyes to meet Jihoon’s. In the darkness of Jeonghan’s room, Jihoon looked tired but his features were sharp and Seungcheol’s traced his thumbs along Jihoon’s chin.  
“Did you talk with Sungmin?”  
Jihoon hummed, nodding. “He kept spouting the same shit.”  
“And how did you end up here, with Jeonghan?”  
Jihoon hummed again, his eyes closed. “That’s a story for tomorrow.”  
Seungcheol nodded and stood up. “Scoot over.”  
“You don’t fit in!” Jihoon murmured and turned to look at Jeonghan who was sleeping behind him. Seungcheol rolled his eyes. “Of course I will fit in. Just until you fall asleep. Okay?”  
Jihoon made a face but he scooted closer to Jeonghan who groaned in his sleep when the bed dipped under Seungcheol. It was very narrow space for Seungcheol but he just pulled Jihoon closer. Jihoon’s eyes were wide when he stared at Seungcheol who grinned tiredly at him.  
“You look like a dead man”, Jihoon whispered suddenly, "did you fucking drive here?", his fingers on Seungcheol’s forehead, brushing his hair away. Seungcheol just hummed, enjoying the gently massaging movements of Jihoon fingers. 

It didn’t take long until he was fast asleep because all of the stress seemed to vanish from his body right after he got to lie down on the bed and have Jihoon next to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course I would write Jungsu as Jeonghan's brother, angels all the way. :DDDD


	13. Two hearts still beating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day after. 
> 
> or, *quotes Human by Christina Perry here*

\---

When Seungcheol woke up later, Jihoon was gone but he wasn’t alone. Jeonghan sat on the floor, staring up at him. Seungcheol groaned, his shoulders cracking when he stretched them.  
“How long have you been staring at me?”  
“Long enough”, Jeonghan murmured slowly, arching his eyebrows. “I thought it was until he falls asleep.” Seungcheol hummed, not feeling like he should explain himself or ask why Jeonghan had pretended to be asleep. Jeonghan rolled his eyes.  
“Seriously, up until yesterday, I truly thought you two were just fooling with us, faking it all.”  
Seungcheol’s movements froze but Jeonghan seemed not to notice as he pushed himself up to stand.  
“But last night, huh, you truly care for him, right?” 

 

There’s something content and acknowledgeable in Jeonghan’s eyes and tone that Seungcheol just smiled and nodded. The thoughts inside his head were swirling and he kind of feared his voice would betray him if he said anything. Jeonghan sat at the edge of the bed.  
“I still don’t approve your choice of a boyfriend but I definitely see why you fancy him.”  
“He is intriguing”, Seungcheol agreed and patted Jeonghan’s sides. “Where is the fairy goblin anyway?”  
“Sleeping on the couch, using the blanket you were supposed to use last night,” Jeonghan gave him a pointed look and Seungcheol just smiled sheepishly.  
“Brother’s morning coffee lured him out but you know Jungsu, he made Jihoon go back to sleep without the coffee. That’s why I don’t have any for you, the smell would have woken him up and I don’t need him up yet.”  
Seungcheol laughed.  
“It’s okay. But what I am more curious about is how the hell he ended up here with you? The least expected person?”  
Jeonghan sighed, running his fingers through his hair.  
“Well, that is really interesting question. Mingyu actually called me. I was just lazing here, at my own bed and he called. Just you know, I was still pissed at him so I didn’t want to answer him but I did it anyway and here he was wanting me to go check this one place if Woozi would be there. And I argued that I don’t want to, and why wasn’t he calling to you but he said I lived closer and if Woozi was there, he would inform you. But you texted to the group chat before I had a change to inform Mingyu, so… here we are.”  
Seungcheol nodded slowly.  
“Did you… talk with Jihoon?”  
Jeonghan grinned at him slyly. “I don’t kiss and tell~”  
“What? He is my boyfriend you know”, the man laying on the bed groaned and Jeonghan swatted his arm. “Oh come on. I gave you too much information anyway. Let’s go make some coffee and get the goblin up.”

 

Seungcheol followed Jeonghan out of the bedroom to the kitchen where the slightly younger man pressed the button on the side of the coffee machine. It took couple of slurping breaths of the water and when the fresh smell of coffee filled the house, they heard a thumb. Jeonghan pulled three cups out of the cabinet and by the time he closed the cabin door, Jihoon stood by the kitchen door, his eyes bleary and stiff. Seungcheol smiled at him.  
“Want some coffee?”  
“Yes please.”  
Jeonghan poured all cups full and Jihoon was the only one drinking it without any sweetening. They sat in a silence until Jeonghan cup was empty (Seunghceol’s cup had a mouthful, Jihoon's was still half full).  
“So what’s your plan now?”  
Jihoon shrugged.  
“I’ll go back to Mingyu’s.”  
Jeonghan made a sound of disagreement. Jihoon rolled his eyes but neither of them said anything more and Seungcheol wondered what went unsaid around him.  
“Have you considered staying at my place?” Seungcheol asked to lighten the somewhat awkward atmosphere around them and Jihoon rubbed his hands awkwardly.  
“I think it’s still too soon for us to live together.”  
Seungcheol snorted. “Jisoo would be delighted to have you around.”  
Jihoon shook his head. “I think I will stay at Kim’s for time being.”  
“How about going back to your own home?” Jeonghan snapped and Jihoon rolled his eyes. Seungcheol bit down on his bottom lip.  
“They did not kick you out or anything?”  
Jeonghan’s eyebrows rose in interest but Jihoon just shook his head. “No. But I don’t think it’s the right time. I have to go to Mingyu’s, I need to change really, so his place is the next stop anyway.” He gulped down the rest of coffee and stood up.  
“Thank you for the coffee. And all.”  
Jeonghan rolled his eyes.  
“Make sure I don’t have to pick you up next time.”  
Jihoon’s lips curved into a small smile and Seungcheol finished his coffee. Jeonghan followed Jihoon back to his room when the younger one told him he was about to collect his phone. Seungcheol slipped into his shoes while waiting. He was kind of happy that Jihoon and Jeonghan seemed to have sorted something out between them but he felt restless anyway. 

 

When the two returned, Jihoon had a brown note book with him and Seungcheol watched him to slip into his own shoes, ready to go. Seemed like the two of had exchanged words in Jeonghan’s room because Jihoon only nodded towards his host before opening the room and making his way towards the elevator. Seungcheol grinned at Jeonghan who swatted his arm.  
“Call me later, okay?” Jeonghan murmured and Seungcheol nodded.  
“I will!”  
“Cheol, the elevator is here!”  
“Gotta go. Thanks, Jeonghan, for… you know, letting him stay.”  
Jeonghan smiled a little even thou he tried to look indifferent.  
“He is your boyfriend, take care of him better.”  
Seungcheol laughed and Jeonghan pushed him outside the apartment and Jihoon hollered him to hurry, he was not going to keep the elevator waiting. And as Seungcheol darted towards the closing elevator door he felt happy and carefree.  
Jihoon arched his eyebrows at him when he grinned down at him inside the elevator.  
“What?”  
“Nothing. I just feel happy.”  
Jihoon blinked.  
“So, to Mingyu’s?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Hmmm.”  
Seungcheol kept watching Jihoon while waiting the elevator ride to be over. The younger man looked like he had woken up (which he actually had), his hair disheveled, clothes wrinkly (he was wearing something else than last night, maybe Jeonghan’s) and eyes still bleary.  
“Did you sleep well?”  
“Hmm. It was okay. You are actually super clingy in your sleep, you know that?”  
Seungcheol laughed. “Yeah? Jisoo bought me this huge pillow so I could cuddle with it.” Jihoon smiled fondly (probably thinking Seungcheol with said pillow) and Seungcheol wanted to squish him.  
“I am more surprised I didn’t wake up when you followed the smell of Jeonghan’s brother’s morning coffee.”  
Jihoon snorted.  
“It was easy since you were in fact the little spoon, Scoups, so I just climbed over you.”  
The elevator binged, and the door slide open. Seungcheol gaped at Jihoon who laughed at his face when he exited.  
“What? I miss all the good stuff!”  
“Good stuff? Me? Climbing over you?” Jihoon laughed boisterously and Seungcheol jogged to catch up with him. He grinned cheekily.  
“You. Above me.”  
Jihoon’s steps haltered a bit but then he collected himself and barked out a laugh, muttering something along lines how impossible Seungcheol was. Seungcheol grinned widely. Neither of them said anything when Seungcheol lead them to his car. He glanced over the car’s hood at Jihoon who caught his eye. And the younger one grinned sheepishly, his eyes half closed and Seungcheol felt like there were no words needed between them. 

 

And it was good. 

 

\------

 

The man greeting them wasn’t either of the Kims but Jihoon seemed to at least recognize him but for Seungcheol he was a stranger.  
“Oh, Hyungsik hyung. Is Mingyu home?”  
The man standing by the kitchen doorframe nodded, smiling. “I think he is hiding in his room.”  
Jihoon hummed, pulling Seungcheol along, who bowed politely at the older man who nodded back at him.  
“Who is he?” Seungcheol whispered when Jihoon pushed the door to Mingyu’s room open.  
“He is Hyungsik, Ryeowook’s… I don’t really know, friend?”  
“If you are talking about Hyungsik, he is a pest”, Mingyu murmured, his eyes bleary, and pulled Jihoon into a hug. The smaller man made a noise of protest and wiggled his body but Mingyu only tightened his hold.  
“He is hyung to you, Mingyu, and he is not a pest, you have led Kyuhyun’s opinion to influence you. Hyungsik is nice.”  
Mingyu rolled his eyes. “Enough of him. Are you okay, hyung?”  
Seungcheol had never heard Mingyu call Jihoon hyung so it meant that the younger one had been worried and Jihoon seemed to sense it too because he finally stopped wiggling and circled his arms around the tall boy.  
“I’m fine. Sorry for not calling.”  
“It’s okay. Jeonghan hyung at least answered to me.”  
Jihoon hummed and Seungcheol slumped on Mingyu’s bed, watching the two to hug.  
“I should be offended, you never informed me! Jeonghan had to tell me you were with him”, Seungcheol whined and Jihoon groaned.  
“You are one big baby.”  
“I’m your boyfriend, I should know first.”  
Jihoon groaned and pulled away from Mingyu to attack Seungcheol. Mingyu rolled his eyes as he watched his hyungs to swat each others.  
“You are babies, both of you.”  
“Silence Kim Mingyu!”  
There was a knock on the door and they all halted their movement when Ryeowook poked his head inside.  
“Oh! Don’t you have school?”  
“Don’t you have work?” Mingyu shot back and his brother narrowed his eyes at him.  
“Don’t be smart with me, Mingyu.”  
“I have a dance practice later, I don’t know about hyungs,” Mingyu answered, turning to look at Jihoon and Seuncheol. Seungcheol himself wasn’t sure what he had today but he was probably skipping the day, damn the consequences. Jihoon shrugged.  
“I have free day, probably should work that report of the showcase.”  
“I can drop you guys off later”, Seungcheol offered and Ryeowook nodded.  
“Okay. You all staying for lunch?”

 

None of them saw anything against it and everyone of them knew how good Ryeowook’s food was so in the end they found themselves helping Ryeowook and his friend, Hyungsik, to set the table. It was a nice a lunch and Seungcheol wondered, if Jihoon ever missed his time with his family (probably mainly with Chan) from the way he kept chatting away with Ryeowook and Mingyu. Seungcheol and jisoo sometimes shared their lunch and dinner times but it wasn’t the same.  
“So you two are dating?” Hyungsik asked suddenly, when Seungcheol offered without Jihoon really asking, more rice to the younger man. Jihoon blinked and Mingyu choke on his food. Seungcheol smiled politely at him.  
“Uh, yeah? About a month now. We try not to be too obvious.”  
Hyungsik laughed.  
“It’s okay. I just got the feeling. “  
“They are so lovey-dovey that even an obvious man like Hyungsik noticed” Ryeowook teased and Jihoon shook his head, his ears reddening.  
“We really aren’t!”  
Hyungsik laughed and Ryeowook rolled his eyes. Seungcheol suddenly realized that Hyungsik was the only one in the room who was not aware of their deal. The conversation with Jeonghan came back to his mind and as they all resumed talking something else than his and Jihoon’s relationship, Seungcheol’s eyes followed Jihoon’s every moments. 

 

Had their acting around each other’s changed? What had actually changed if anything to make people comment on their relationship? 

 

\-----

 

They dropped Mingyu off to the campus and as Seungcheol pulled back to the road he glanced at Jihoon.  
“Do you really have somewhere to be? Or could we… do something?”  
Jihoon hummed without taking his eyes off the road.  
“What do you have in mind?”  
Seungcheol had wondered when and how to bring up the fan site which had been responsible of the photos of them but it was now or never.  
“I know who took the photos of us for Sungmin. They agreed on meeting with me. You can join if you want.”  
Jihoon turned his head so fast that Seungcheol feared he would wrench his neck.  
“You know?”  
Seungcheol hummed.  
“They are a fan site of our crew. I messaged them last night and… yeah, are up for coffee?”  
Jihoon gaped at him so Seungcheol took that as an agreement and started to drive towards the agreed café. They would be super early but Seungcheol wanted to have time with Jihoon and talk with him.  
“How?” Jihoon asked after a moment and Seungcheol laughed nervously.  
“I was… with Jisoo, I was not acting creepy, really! So, yeah we were making a Google search on you and then in my weakest moment also for S.Coups and Jisoo found a photo I had seen in the pile and… yeah.”  
Jihoon sputtered. “Google search? Seungcheol, what the fuck? Why?”  
“As I said, in my moment of weakness… things Sungmin say affect me, I mean, I almost didn’t come to your showcase! I just… can’t ignore it and…”  
Jihoon groaned, hiding his face behind his hands and Seungcheol bit down his lip, glancing worriedly at his companion. 

“Sorry?”  
Jihoon closed his behind his hands. This was beyond ridiculous.  
“No. It’s okay.”  
He took a deep breath before removing hands from his face and turned to look at Seungcheol who kept glancing at him while driving.  
“Keep your eyes on the road; I’m going to talk now, okay?”  
Seungcheol body tensed, eyes glued forward and he nodded. Jihoon waited a moment before talking to make sure Seungcheol would keep his eyes on the road.  
“You shouldn’t feel insecure, not at all. I was the one pulling you in this mess with me. I should be the one feeling nervous. I mean, you almost did not show up.”  
Seungcheol opened his mouth to say something, turning his head a little.  
“Watch the road!”  
Seungcheol snapped his mouth shut. Jihoon breathed through his nose. He needed to keep this simple, not to get too caught up in his own emotions and devotion towards Seungcheol.  
“I know this is hard, this is… stupid. So yesterday, when I went home… I made it clear that you are my boyfriend so, please, Seungcheol hyung, stick with me.”  
“I will!” Seungcheol blurted out his eyes wide. “I just don’t know if I am worth of your time!”  
“I just said I was the one pulling you along! Doesn't that tell you anything?” Jihoon groaned, frustrated and Seungcheol pouted.  
“Cheol hyung, you are worth of my time. Please.”  
Jihoon wasn’t even sure what he was asking for but Seungcheol nodded anyway and parked the car when he noticed a proper spot for them. They sat in a silence for a while before Seungcheol turned to him. Jihoon’s breath caught and he felt tearing up. They both probably looked like a mess, he himself hadn’t showered after the showcase and his shirt felt uncomfortable. And he was tired, oh so tired.  
“The pinky promise…it is valid, right?”  
Jihoon snorted.  
“Valid until we die.”  
“Life time promises, eh?”  
Seungcheol was smiling now and Jihoon felt warm. 

 

It would be alright. 

 

Seungcheol lead the way to a small café around the corner. He bought them hot chocolate with a cookie to share and Jihoon choose the table behind for them sit.  
“So, the fan site master will be here around four so we have about an hour to spend”, Seungcheol grinned at him and Jihoon hummed.  
“It’s a coffee date then?”  
“It’s a hot chocolate date to be precise,” Seungcheol noted, dividing the cookie.  
Jihoon rolled his eyes and took a sip from his drink.  
“I have been wondering and Jeonghan didn’t offer me any answer when asked how you ended up with him… so, care to tell?”  
“You want to talk about Jeonghan when on date with me?” Jihoon gasped, mock-offended and Seungcheol grinned at him.  
“Come on, you were wearing his shirt.”  
“Okay, it’s fair.”  
Jihoon leaned back on his chair, wondering how much he should tell.  
“Mingyu knows this place where I like to hang out when I work with music… don’t pout at me, I will take you there someday, promise!” Seungcheol’s face lightened up and Jihoon wondered yet again how anyone could be like, so sincere and enthusiastic.  
“Anyway. I was there, minding my own business when Jeonghan barked in and… yeah, that’s it.”  
“And you just followed him?”  
“We talked. And after that I followed.”  
Seungcheol pouted. “So you are not going to share what you talked about?”  
Jihoon snorted. “It’s between me and Jeonghan, really. Nothing you should worry. “  
“He told me he thought we were just faking it.”  
“Did he now?”  
Seungcheol nodded, still pouting. “We have to step up our game.”  
“Hyungsik seemed convinced.”  
Seungcheol narrowed his eyes at him and Jihoon took a bite from his cookie.  
“And what about when you went home? What happened?”  
Jihoon tried to keep his face unchanging.  
“I told you already: I made it clear that you are my boyfriend and they should learn to live with that fact.”  
Jihoon knew he wasn’t a good liar but technically he wasn’t saying anything out of the truth, just a little plain version of it, not mentioning all the details. Seungcheol was better off not knowing.  
“Really?”  
“Well Sungmin got aggressive but nothing happened. I walked out unharmed.”  
“And you wouldn’t inform anyone?”  
Jihoon opened his mouth to say something but no good excuses came to his mind and Seungcheol leaned back, shaking his head.  
“What are you keeping from me, Lee Jihoon?”

Everything. The fact that Jihoon was head over heels in love with the man in front of him, and the fact that Jihoon had confessed his love for Seungcheol to his family before he had said it to Seungcheol, if he ever would. 

Everything. The fact that Sungmin had in fact thrown that glass but Chan’s fast movements had prevented it from hitting Jihoon. The fact that Jihoon wasn’t sure if he was ever welcomed to go back home when Sungmin still lived there. 

Everything. 

“Hey, sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you… Christ, Ji, hey… calm down.”  
Jihoon snapped out of it when Seungcheol was suddenly on his side of the table, his body trying to block Jihoon from the view of the rest of café goers. 

Wait, was he crying?

“Oh fuck, sorry, I didn’t mean to…shit!” Jihoon started to wipe the tears away and at the same time tried to shoo Seungcheol back to his own chair. However, Seungcheol didn’t take his efforts into account and scooted the chair actually closer to Jihoon before sitting down. He didn’t hug Jihoon this time but he leaned as close as he could, his hands warm against his elbow. 

“Hey, take a deep breath. It is okay, I’m sorry for upsetting you, you must be really tired. I mean, I got to sleep well because you were there but… yeah.”  
Jihoon tried to laugh at that but he only made a pathetic wail and Seungcheol leaned his head against his shoulder, carefully sliding his hand along his arm, soothingly. 

 

He understood where Seungcheol was coming from with all of his questions. They were still a bit awkward with each other and even if they had tore down some walls around them, Jihoon still wasn’t honest with Seungcheol. He would probably never be but with everything going around them he at least needed to try.

 

“Everything feels like it’s my fault.”  
“Everything is not your fault.”  
Jihoon swatted Seungcheol’s arm.  
“I mean, if things won’t work out, then what? What if you break up with me? What then?”  
Jihoon turned his head to catch Seungcheol’s expression, those eyes wide and glossy.  
“What if something Sungmin says makes you hate me?”  
“It won’t. We just… have to trust each others.”  
“You are suffering because I… don’t tell you enough. But I can’t tell you. I just… I’m just so tired.”  
Seungcheol hushed at him, gently, sliding his fingers along Jihoon’s arm, towards his palm.  
“We established that I will stick with you. You stated I’m your boyfriend to your family. I will be that to you as long as you need me. “  
Jihoon watched as Seungcheol entwined their fingers together.  
“Let’s make a deal, okay? It has to be you who will end this, okay?”  
“That is kind of selfish of me, don’t you think?” Jihoon murmured, leaning his forehead against Seungcheol’s. The older man hummed.  
“Yeah, but it makes sense, doesn’t it? Because only you know when you are done convincing your family, right?”  
Jihoon closed his eyes and tried not to think too much of it. If asked, he would ever end it, but he knew that what Seungcheol was suggesting was more than fair. But on the other hand if Jihoon was being fair to himself (like Mingyu had been reminding him for time to time) he should end the deal with Seungcheol as soon as possible, to minimize the damage and heartbreak.  
Seungcheol nudged his shoulder.  
“Right?”  
Jihoon opened his eyes and Seungcheol was smiling at him with that gently smile, dimples and all. Jihoon pulled back before he would in his tired mind lean in and kiss Seungcheol.  
“Right.”

 

If he was going to break his heart, he was going to do that with style.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. Thank you for over 100 kudos! ;w; I never thought I would ever get that many kudos for anything I write ahahah. 
> 
> I was also wondering that I could post some extra chapters when the story is over. Like behind the scenes chapters/different point of view (etc. Mingyu, Jeonghan, SJ brothers) if you would be interested.
> 
> And, freaking hell, Going Seventeen is a wonderful album, I love everything about it aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. ;w;


	14. Sweeter than sweet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Because we are together, I am able to smile" 
> 
> or, the plot thickens and everyone just asks "could they already make out properly whatthefuck".

\------

Seungcheol sat with Jihoon until the younger man had calmed down. Their hot chocolates were cold by the time Seungcheol moved back to the other side of the table. He already opened his mouth to offer to go and buy new ones but the waiter was suddenly by their table.  
“Ah, sorry, seemed like you had some rough time so… on the house?”  
They watched bewildered as the boy lowered two hot drinks on the table and collected the cold ones on the tray.  
“Ah! It was… really, this was…!” Seungcheol wasn’t sure what to say but Jihoon nodded at to the waiter.  
“Thank you…”Jihoon squinted his eyes, trying to make out the name in the tag “…Seokmin, truly, thanks.”  
Seokmin smiled, seemingly relieved by Jihoon’s thanks.  
“You welcome! Anyway, it looked like you needed one! Enjoy your drinks!”  
And with a wave of a hand he returned to the behind the counter, the girl behind it waiting fidgety.  
Seungcheol turned to look at Jihoon who slowly curled his fingers around the new mug and then lifted the drink to his lips, sipping carefully.  
“It’s good.”  
Seungcheol smiled.  
“That is good.”  
They sipped their drinks in silence, Seungcheol waiting Jihoon to pick up whichever topic he wanted. The boy in front of him looked even more tired now, his eyes more red and bleary because of the crying.  
“So. The fan site master.”  
Seungcheol grinned.  
“Yeah, they have been with us probably from the beginning of our crew carrier. Vernon actually talked to her first, since they both were equally good in English.”  
“Hmm. Do they know….” Jihoon’s words died down when he caught something behind Seungcheol. Seungcheol turned around and a smile crept into his lips.  
“Oih! Ailee!”  
The girl turned to walk towards them when she heard his call, her mouth transforming into a wide smile.  
“Oh my god!” she hollered in English and Seungcheol stood up to offer a chair to her but she went straight to Jihoon, who had also stood up, his eyes wide.  
“What are the odds? I thought I was only going to meet Seungcheol but this is even better! Jihoonnie darling, how have you been? Apart from being busy with this hunk, huh?” She laughed joyfully, wrenching Jihoon into a hug.  
Jihoon babbled something Seungcheol didn’t catch. This somewhat reminded him of the night Jihoon had reunited with August D (Yoongi, Seungcheol reminded himself, Jihoon was that close with the rapper) and from what Seungcheol had learned from his Google search adventures, this shouldn’t be as surprise as it was.  
“Okay, Jihoon, you know freaking everybody! Ailee, do you want anything to drink?”  
Jihoon at least had a nerve to look somewhat repentant. “I didn’t know you are friends with everyone I knew from when I was teenage!”  
“You mock me Lee Jihoon!” Ailee barked, laughing. “And I can get my own drink just fine, just wait!”  
When Ailee moved to get his drink, Seungcheol stole a chair for her from the empty table next to theirs.  
“Who is she?”  
“Our mothers are like super best friends or so. They have been trying to hook us up for ages”, Jihoon hissed and Seungcheol snorted.  
“Really?”  
“Really. You have no idea how many awkward family dinners we had under the lines ‘meet the daughter of my friend’ and Amy was always there, like, how dumb did they took us for?” Jihoon rubbed his eyes.  
“But you ended up friends?”  
“Through music yeah. I didn’t know she was a fan of yours.”  
“Oh, as I said, Vernon actually made the contact first. They made some mix tape together. And yeah, she heard us perform once and that was it.”  
“So boys, what’s up?” Ailee was back with her coffee and she sat on the empty chair, looking at both of them. Jihoon groaned.  
“Why the fuck you take photos of us for my brother?”  
Ailee laughed. “Straightforward as always, aren’t you?” Jihoon made a face.  
“Sungmin approached me… say a month ago or something, wanting to keep taps of Seungcheol actually. I never thought I would see so much of you too. Until I realized what was going on between you two.” There was a sly smile on his face and Seungcheol laughed, swirling his spoon in his drink (which was getting cold, again).  
“Did he ever say why?”  
Ailee hummed. “I assumed it was more of him being protective big brother.” Jihoon hid his face behind his hands and Ailee turned to look at Seungcheol who smiled sheepishly.  
“Sungmin goes extreme with that, if he is being protective.”  
Ailee gave him a questioning look. Seungcheol glanced at Jihoon, who was still hiding behind his hands. The older man took that as a sign to keep talking so he turned his attention back to Ailee.  
“Family honor seems to be very important to Sungmin and I’m not exactly the best boyfriend material.”  
“What bullshit, has he even looked at those photos?” Ailee mused, leaning closer.  
Seungcheol laughed and they heard Jihoon snort behind his hands.  
“He has looked them long enough to imagine they would stain my reputation.”  
Ailee blinked at Jihoon who had now removed his hands and Seungcheol worried his bottom lip with his teeth.  
“No. Is he… homophobic or something? Seriously? ”  
Jihoon nodded. “Or something.”  
Ailee stood up and circled her arms around Jihoon’s shoulders, leaning her body against Jihoon’ head. Jihoon hugged her awkwardly back and Seungcheol finally finished his lukewarm drink.  
“I didn’t mean anything bad with those photos.”  
“I know.”  
“If you want, I can make a post of how awesome friends S.Coups has and how he should do mix tape with them.”  
Jihoon snorted and Seuncheol gasped. “What? You don’t want to feature in our songs?”  
“Sure thing.”  
Ailee returned to her seat and they started to talk about music and Seungcheol’s grin grew everytime Jihoon smiled or laughed. He had missed happy Jihoon and hanging out with Ailee pulled out something from Jihoon that Seungcheol rarely saw. It was kind of the same when Jihoon was with Soonyoung: he was free.  
“No but seriously, I mean if Sungmin tries to silence you with the fact that he going to go public with the photos, do it before him”, Ailee finally said, when they were done with their drinks and ready to move out of the café. Jihoon hummed and glanced at Seungcheol.  
There would be nothing to lose with that because he had already taped some of the photos around the damn house.  
“It’s up to you.”  
Seungcheol grinned, invading Jihoon’s space by leaning closer. “So, want to feature in our song, right? We can go to an open mic night.”  
“Or you two could have duet”, Ailee pointed out. “And I can come and take photos and all that. Let’s plaster your relationship on Sungmin’s face.”  
Seungcheol hummed, approving. “We could do that, right?”  
Jihoon nodded slowly and Seokmin the waiter wished them great day and good luck with whatever they were dealing with, as they left the café.  
“Remember, sun will shine through the thickest clouds!” the waiter smiled brightly and Jihoon noticed himself to smile back at him. 

 

Jihoon wondered how someone could be that positive to a total stranger but then again, as he watched Seungcheol to walk ahead with Ailee, hadn’t Seungcheol been like that too with him at the beginning? 

 

\-----

 

Mingyu jiggled his body, a wide grin on his face.  
“This is going to be awesome!”  
Wonwoo rolled his eyes at his eagerness and Seungcheol groomed his hair while watching Soonyoung and Jihoon go through the lyrics one more time.  
After meeting Ailee, the girl had put things into gears and the word of Woozi and the S.Coups’ crew performing together had spread out like a fire. They had decided to perform in a small stage of the music café Woozi liked to go and write lyrics, the same cafe where he had escaped after the showcase night. Seungcheol still remembered with fondness the Wednesday night Jihoon had taken him there and they had listened soft tunes of performers and Seungcheol had understood why the place was so dear to Jihoon. It had this quiet atmosphere that let you be in your own world if you wanted to but it could also provide so much inspiration with random poetry or singing happening time to time. It was like a cozy living room, inviting you to in and to stay there for hours. 

“I’m going to see where Jisoo and Vernon are.”  
Wonwoo waved his hand as a sign of hearing him and Seungcheol made his way out of the small backroom. The café was full of laugh and Seungcheol bowed politely to some who recognized him when he walked through the crowd. He spotted Jisoo and his friend Minhyun near the small stage, playing with a guitar. Vernon appeared next to him.  
“They are ready to start. Have you seen Ailee yet?”  
Seungcheol shook his head. “She might be here somewhere.”  
Vernon nodded and smiled at him. “Nervous?”  
“Yeah. This is something so different from what we usually do.”  
Vernon laughed and patted his shoulder. “We will do great. Also I’m glad you talked Joshua into participating.”  
Seungcheol nodded. He and Jihoon had been planning their stage at Seungcheol’s place and Jisoo had got interested and one thing had led to another and Seungcheol watched with a fond smile as Jisoo and Minhyun got seated on the stage, ready to begin their song. 

 

It was nice atmosphere around the café, the laughter dying a little when those two started singing. Seungcheol jammed along the music and middle of the song Jihoon found them, leaning so close to Seungcheol that their hands brushed against each other. Seungcheol grinned at him and entwined their fingers. Minhyun’s smooth voice echoing inside the cafe: _” I’m your knight and I’ll save you from sadness, whoa, let me cast a spell for you”_ and Jihoon squished his hand. _“Baby, don’t forget, I’m on your side, you all I need”_ and Jisoo strummed the last tunes out of the guitar and people around the erupted into round of applauds.  
“They are good.”  
“Jisoo had improved a lot from when we shared that class”, Jihoon muttered and Seungcheol hummed. He didn’t want to let go of Jihoon’s hand and Jihoon didn’t make any movements to get rid of his hand so they just stood there, middle of the crowd, watching people come and go.  
“You ready?”  
Jihoon nodded. “It will be fun.”  
Seungcheol grinned at him when Wonwoo came to view and motioned them to follow him. He pulled Jihoon along and soon they were by others, forming a circle.  
Soonyoung grinned at them.  
“Aww you love birds. Can’t keep your hands off each others?”  
Jihoon gave him a finger and Wonwoo sniggered.  
“S.Coups, do you want to say something?”  
Seungcheol smiled wider, putting his hand in front them all. Vernon offered his and took a hold of Seungcheol’s thumb. Others followed and Seungcheol let his eyes meet everyone’s.  
“We will rock it.”  
“Fighting!”  
They separated and Seungcheol let go of Jihoon’s hand. The other grinned at him. “See you at the stage.”

 

Jihoon stood by the stage, hidden behind the piano when others claimed the stage. It was fun song, everyone jamming and rapping with the suitable happiness that lingered around the café. Jihoon could see himself writing songs for Seungcheol’s crew and he smiled as he watched Soonyoung to dance across the stage and jam with Mingyu. Soonyoung was made to perform with them and Jihoon bit down his bottom lip when it was S.Coups’s part. He didn’t understand at all why Sungmin or anyone was looking down at the young rapper. S.Coups was confident, radiating sweet attitude and Jihoon almost choked on his tongue when Seungcheol smiled, tongue darting out and fucking winked. Jihoon didn’t have time to dwell on the sudden flush of arouse because it was his time to go on stage and own it. Seungcheol had audacity to grin at him during his _“I’ll call you mine”_ part, that fucker.

But oh, if Jihoon had thought it was the worst, he hadn’t expected Seungcheol do what he did during their duet. They had picked one of their favorite song and it was fun song and when Jihoon had listened to it before the gig, he had wondered if he one day would murmur it to Seungcheol during a lazy morning. Or if he would ever text a good morning message to Seungcheol. He tried to keep his focus on the crowd in front of them but then he made the mistake, Seungcheol was jamming along him and their eyes met. 

 

Fucking god Jihoon couldn’t stop the smile from forming onto his face. 

 

And his voice was shaking when they approached the last chorus and Seungcheol was there, next to him, pulling him by the wrist more towards the center of the small stage, indicating the last shoulder shake to start to left and _ohgodohgod_ why the fuck it felt like he was confessing through a song. 

 

Seungcheol loved the way how frustrated Jihoon suddenly got during the duet and when they finished the song and he was pulling the younger one away from the stage, Jihoon groaned, hiding his face. Seungcheol how ever did spot a wide grin on younger man’s face.  
“That went well, right?”  
Jihoon made out a sound of that was mix of laugh, groan and something else. Seungcheol laughed and then Soonyoung was there, screaming how wonderful they were. And how he was going to buy them drinks. Seungcheol was feeling warm and happy even thou Jihoon kept throwing annoyed looks at him, he didn’t mind. He had already learned that Jihoon wasn’t a fan a public skin ship and maybe he had done that more than assumed during their performance but Seungcheol didn’t regret a thing. He swung his arm around Jihoon’s shoulders and didn’t let the man escape into the crowd resulting everyone seeking for Jihoon’s company, to come to them.  
Yoongi was first, hiding his face behind a cap and a mask but Jihoon recognized him anyway. Seungcheol watched with fondness as the two exchanged words and there was a glint of mishap in Yoongi’s eyes when his head nodded towards Seungcheol. Jihoon’s face flushed and god, Seungcheol loved that.  
Next up was Jeonghan who stated he was there for his two favorite people in a world but mainly for Jisoo. It was almost hilarious to watch him not to compliment Jihoon but he ended up anyway ruffling the younger one’s hair with a fond smile on his lips. 

 

And then there was Chan. 

 

“Chan says he is outside? What the fuck!” Jihoon murmured, glancing at his phone and Seungcheol leaned closer to look at the message.  
“Well, he is underage.”  
Jihoon cursed, detaching himself from Seungcheol and started to make his way to the entrance, Seungcheol not far behind. When they reached to the door, Jihoon bolted right outside. Chan was waiting near the small group of smokers and his face lit up when he spotted his brother.  
“Jihoonnie!”  
“Chan! What are you doing here? Are you alone?”  
Chan laughed when Jihoon pulled him into a hug and Seungcheol grinned at him from behind Jihoon.  
“I have a driver waiting for me. I had a dance class and I asked him to drop me here for a moment. Mom is keeping tabs at me so I can’t stay that long.” Chan pouted. “Sorry I couldn’t make it for the show. “  
Seungcheol smiled. “I think someone filmed the performances so we can send the songs to you, okay?”  
Chan grinned and swayed his and Jihoon’s entwined hands between them.  
“That would be great!”  
“I’m so glad to see you”, Jihoon murmured, sighing and Chan’s smile died a little.  
“I’m fine, really, brother.”  
Seungcheol decided that the brothers needed their own time so he turned his attention to everything else around himself and tried to listen what the Lee brothers talked. However, his ears spotted words like “call mom, please” and “Jinki also wants you to call him” and Seungcheol wondered if this was too much. And even if the point was to make Jihoon’s family to see who he really was, maybe this wasn’t the right way to do it.  
“Oih, Cheol.”  
Seungcheol snapped out of it and both of the Lee’s gave him a pointed look. He grinned sheepishly. “Sorry, you said?”  
Chan grinned. “I will message to you too!”  
“And I will send you messages about your brother, alright?”  
“I can do that fine by myself!”  
“Hmm?” Seungcheol hummed but didn’t comment on what he had heard Chan say earlier but seemed like Chan at least sensed his point without words.  
“Well make sure brother sends me messages if not you!”  
There was a beep of a phone and Chan’s shoulders slumped. “I have to go. Don’t be a stranger, brother, hyung.”  
“I will accompany you to the car, okay?”  
Seungcheol gave a small hug to Chan and returned inside when the two Lee’s started to walk away from the café. 

 

Mingyu was talking with Jeonghan, who looked nothing but pleased with the younger one when Seungcheol was back inside and looking for company.  
“Oh, are you fighting?”  
Mingyu rolled his eyes and Jeonghan whirled the drink in his glass. “Why you think so?”  
Seungcheol shrugged. “Your brows are quirky, it always happens when you are pissed off.”  
Jeonghan gave him a look and without a word turned around and joined Jisoo and Wonwoo who were chatting a little bit ahead of them. Mingyu groaned.  
“Hyung!”  
“Sorry?”  
Seungcheol wasn’t sure what had just happened but Mingyu just sighed.  
“Where you left Jihoon?”  
“He is escorting Chan to his ride, he will be back soon.”  
Mingyu bit down his lip.  
“So. The deal. How long it will continue?”  
Seungcheol hummed, without answering. He remembered the talk they had had soon after the plan of the joint gig had been established. They would see how the rest of Lee family would react to Ailee’s photos (which reminded Seungcheol that he hadn’t seen the woman yet) and continue from there.  
“Do you even want it to end? I mean, I have seen you flirt with people before and I can tell Jihoon is different.”  
Seungcheol turned to look up at Mingyu who was now staring at him with this “I don’t care if you are my hyung, we are talking about my friend” –look and Seungcheol was painfully reminded how Jihoon still bunked with the Kims and Mingyu had probably seen so many of sides of Jihoon that Seungcheol hadn’t. 

 

Jihoon knew that look on Mingyu's face. He was going to confront Seungcheol and Jihoon wasn’t ready for that, not yet. He might have made a mistake when he had opened up to Mingyu but the younger one had been there for him at that time. But he wasn’t ready to eavesdrop Seungcheol when he was going to say anything about him to Mingyu. 

So the only way to prevent that was to interrupt the two of them. And Jihoon did it in the only way he thought was proper, Ailee’s voice inside him head booming: “I need good stuff, not just Seungcheol initiating the pecks”. 

 

Seungcheol saw Jihoon to approach them from the corner of his eye. Mingyu yelped when Jihoon made his way between them and lifted his hands. Seungcheol’s eyes widened, Jihoon’s hands were now on his face and the boy leaned closer. Jihoon was staring straight to his eyes, his thumbs on Seungcheol's lips and Seungcheol could feel part of Jihoon’s lips against his as the boy pressed forward. 

 

He could hear Ailee’s laugh and Seungcheol briefly wondered if said woman had caught it on a film. 

 

\----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter was brought to you by [Jisoo and Nu'est Minhyun's acoustic version of Overcome](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTe_Y8JVB0M), [Jihoon and Seungcheol's "Good Morning" fan meet duet (particularly time 2.12) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoLpWz3IjdQ) and [this art](https://twitter.com/gap_svt/status/712707154969407488). Bye.
> 
> Also Ailee and Jihoon's friendship is important. /o/


	15. One more and then there is silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the aftermath of Ailee's blog post.
> 
> warning.  
> implied violence, homophobic slurs.

It was one of those moments when your brain functions just froze and instincts and feelings kicked in. Because when Jihoon pulled slowly away from Seungcheol, his fingers still on Seungcheol’s lips, the older man’s body moved along, kind of a chase for more. Jihoon’s eyes widened and the boy let go of his face like it burned his fingers. His cheeks itched from the lingering touch of Jihoon’s fingers and Seungcheol lifted his own hands on Jihoon’s face. The younger one didn’t break the eye contact but turned his chin away, like in a silent confrontation of something that Seungcheol wasn’t sure of what it truly was. Jihoon’s lips were ajar and Seungcheol’s gaze dropped to look at Jihoon’s mouth. It was fascinating really, his thumb running over chapped lips, Jihoon’s whole demeanor pliant in his arm. 

 

Seungcheol was sure he would have kissed Jihoon if Mingyu hadn’t taken a hold of his shoulder and broken the spell binding them. 

And then Ailee was there, laughing at how easily they were pulled into their own world and then so many people where there and Seungcheol lost the hold of Jihoon in the mass of people talking, joking, laughing and separating them. 

Jihoon’s heart was beating, Mingyu now draping his long and slim arms around him. He watched, not really hearing what Mingyu was saying, how Seungcheol was pulled into a conversation with Ailee and Jisoo (but not before looking at Jihoon’s direction). 

 

Jihoon was sure Seungcheol would have kissed him if Mingyu hadn’t interrupted everything like Jihoon had told him to do. The silent curse left his mouth and Mingyu’s hand gripped his arm almost painfully.  
“You have to end this, Jihoon, Seungcheol hyung doesn’t deserve this”, Mingyu murmured and Jihoon nodded without answering.  
“I want to enjoy this thou”, left his mouth before he could filter his thoughts and the look on Mingyu’s face told him enough. He wasn’t sure if Mingyu was pitying him or feeling sorry for him or just being plain worried for him but he just couldn’t let it slip, not like this.  
“Jihoon.”  
“Mingyu.”  
They shared a look and Jihoon knew Mingyu was judging him for being such a brick.  
“Seungcheol doesn’t deserve you to play with his heart. He is too nice for his own good.”  
“I know. God, I know”, Jihoon whispered and hid his face behind his hands. This was going to end horrible, he was sure. But maybe he should just avoid talking to Seungcheol until his family got hold of the blog post Ailee was going to publish. Maybe after that he would be ready to accept the fact that he was going to walk away from his “gay issue” (as Sungmin liked to call it) with or without his (fake)boyfriend by his side. 

Well at least Ailee got some good material for whatever she would publish. 

 

\----

 

Seungcheol sat with Jihoon on the couch and Mingyu kept making faces with Jihoon. Nothing out of ordinary there but it was out of ordinary that Jihoon was sitting so close, their thighs flush against each other when there was only the three in the room. It had been established earlier that Seungcheol would spend the night with Jihoon and Mingyu because Jisoo was having a friend over. Seungcheol would have loved to finally get to know the mysterious boy Jisoo was chatting with but he hadn’t left the café with anyone Seungcheol would have suspected to be the dude. 

They were waiting Ailee’s blog to update and Seungcheol kept refreshing the page time to time. 

“How do you think your family will react?” Mingyu aimed his question at Jihoon who shrugged, leaning his head against Seungcheol’s shoulder.  
“Chan and Jinki will probably be supportive. I told Chan to keep paying attention to Ailee’s site. It’s so late thou and I fear he might get caught by Sungmin. Sugmin will be furious, mom… mom will probably deal with it.”  
Seungcheol rubbed Jihoon’s thigh for comfort.  
“Hey, we are in this together so whatever you have to deal with, I will deal with you.”  
Jihoon grunted, his hand hovering over Seungcheol’s but the movement from Mingyu made Jihoon to withdraw his hand. Seungcheol wasn’t sure if he was just confused by the silent communication between the two younger men or disappointed that Jihoon didn’t take a hold of his hand. His feelings were mess again and Seungcheol wasn’t a fan of being confused by them. The past week had pulled something out of them both and tonight had been… everything, magical and Seungcheol would ever change it away. 

 

He knew he was probably being too nice for his own good but he had time until the next day to decide what he wanted from Jihoon and he should probably ask then what Jihoon truly wanted from him. They should sort this out before it would slip out of their hands. Seungcheol knew he was already slipping into dangerous territory, he had realized it when Jihoon’s hands had been on his face and other one’s face had been so close that he had felt the buffs of air against his skin. There was something so suppressing between them at the moment, something that was blocking them from acting the way they wanted to. And Seungcheol wasn’t so sure how to deal with it. It was different from before when Jihoon had just been a plain secretive and concealing his feelings and intentions.

Maybe it was the fact that it was just a fake deal of relationship and not real thing that was interfering their acts. 

 

They were not supposed to care as much as they did.

 

“Hey.”  
Seungcheol was brought back to the reality by Jihoon’s voice and a hand above his. Mingyu was giving him a worried glance.  
“You spaced out.”  
“Sorry. I was… thinking.”  
Jihoon opened his mouth to say something but a bling from his phone interrupted him. Then another bling was heard. Mingyu moved to sit on the other side of Seungcheol when the third bling was heard, motioning towards the laptop. Seungcheol turned his focus back on the laptop in front of them and Mingyu took a hold of his wrist.  
“She did it.”  
Jihoon didn’t mind his phone (he let the device lay on the coffee table) and leaned forward. Seungcheol clicked the newest blog post with a title “Great minds think alike”. They skimmed through the text, wild cursives and praises jumping to their eyes. 

 

_The show not to miss –_

 

_Masterminds on the stage –_

 

_Syncing with minds and bodies –_

 

_Confession by music and lyrics –_

 

Ailee praised them all with the words of encouragement and support. She had added photos from the stage (so many close ups that Jihoon feared would expose his feelings) and off it. It wasn’t really that obvious because there were tons of photos of Soonyoung too, and Vernon, and of course Mingyu and Wonwoo but there was a clear indication of the love interest between him and Seungcheol: small details like smiles, eyes twinkling and hand holding. And finally, Ailee had posted a post-kiss photo of them looking lost to the world. 

 

_Will love make Woozi to write the greatest masterpiece yet to come?_

 

The laugh that bubbled out of Jihoon was like a relief washing over him. Mingyu grinned widely before he too burst out into laughter. Jihoon was toppling over and Seungcheol hold onto him to steady the shaking body. Seungcheol himself had a wide grin on face and everything seemed to be okay for now. After a moment of laughing, Jihoon sprung to his feet and skipped towards Mingyu’s room. Seungcheol casted a questioning look at Mingyu who just struggled, still quietly giggling. Soon they could hear a sound of keyboards and Mingyu gasped.  
“Oh god, he is composing! Come, hyung!”  
Seungcheol followed his tall friend to the door of his room and they stopped there. Jihoon had pulled out a brown notebook (Seungcheol recognized it to be the same Jihoon had had with him at Jeonghan’s), opened it and now he was pressing the keys of Mingyu’s keyboard. Jihoon was humming something, occasionally messily writing something on the pages of the notebook. Seungcheol looked at Mingyu who was grinning at Jihoon. Seungcheol turned his focus back on the short male and a fond smile spread to his face. Jihoon was truly lost to the word, he wasn’t taking a notice of them at all and Mingyu nodded his head towards the living room and Seungcheol followed him, faint sound of Jihoon humming abating to the background.  
“Ailee might be right, Woozi will write the greatest song out all of this”, Mingyu stated when he slumped down on the couch. Seungcheol hummed in agreement.  
“Has he composed a lot here?”  
Mingyu shook his head. “Not really, he has been writing but not really using the keyboards. It is always pleasure to watch him compose.”  
“So how long have you known each other?”  
“I think we met quite fast when we both started the university. But only recently we have grown closer”, Mingyu grinned at him stupidly. “Why?”  
Seungcheol tried to shrug his shoulder nonchalantly.  
“I was just wondering.”  
Mingyu stared at him for a moment before sighing and he pulled the laptop closer. Seungcheol watched him to scroll through Ailee’s blog post before stopping to look at one of the photos. It was ridiculously nice photo of him and Jihoon, listening Jisoo and Minhyun’s performance, and Seungcheol couldn’t stop a stupid smile from forming to his face. Mingyu rolled his eyes.  
“Hyung, what you really want from Jihoon? Why did you say yes to all of this?”  
Suddenly Seungcheol was brought back in time and he was reminiscing the night which had started this all, they had been sitting inside his car, Mingyu stating he was too nice.  
Seungcheol shrugged, not answering. Mingyu bit down his lip.  
“Hyung.”  
“I want him to be happy.”  
Mingyu rolled his eyes yet again.  
“I know but hyung, as I said during the show, this is different, Jihoon is different.”  
Seungcheol pursed his lips together, facing Mingyu’s stare.  
“And I have started to fear that this whole deal with end up hurting you both.”  
“Mingyu, it is not yours to decide how this all will end.”  
“But I worry, hyung, you are both dear to me and… neither of you deserve this.”  
Mingyu was probably right. All the fake kissing was getting under Seungcheol’s skin and it would probably end up as a disaster soon enough but for now, everything was okay.  
“Hyung, I just… will this all end up as a heatbreak?” Mingyu stated suddenly and Seungcheol blinked at him. He wasn’t sure what the younger man was implying but suddenly it felt like Mingyu was against him and it triggered Seungcheol off.  
“As I said, I want Jihoon’s happiness. Isn’t that the same what you want?” Seungcheol snapped and Mingyu withdrew a little. They sat in an oppressive silence for a moment before Seungcheol stood up.  
“I’m going to see how his composing is doing.”  
Mingyu nodded and let him hurry towards his room. 

 

Seungcheol wondered briefly if he had really stopped to think what he really wanted from Jihoon, other than him being okay, happy and healthy and not abused by Sungmin. Did he want longlasting friendship or something way more, something that included kissing Jihoon senselessly? Seungcheol groaned, remembering Jihoon’s hands all over his face earlier in the evening. He was probably crushing on the younger man but he didn’t want to think about it, not until it was tomorrow and… what? And if Mingyu had been implying him breaking Jihoon’s heart when it all would end…

 

Seungcheol stopped by the doorframe of the Mingyu’s room. Jihoon was jamming inside; he was lost to the world around him, pressing the keys and humming repeatly: _is it because I like how you smile at me?_  
Seungcheol watched the younger man to press the keys for a moment, until the movement of his fingers slowed down and finally stopped. Seungcheol sighed.  
“You are cute, Jihoonnie.”  
Jihoon snapped his head up and turned towards him, smile blastered on his face. God, he was cute.  
“Ah, sorry. I had to… I had ideas…”  
Seungcheol shrugged and walked inside, sitting on Mingyu’s other chair, behind Jihoon who whirled around with his.  
“Will you let me listen to them someday?”  
Jihoon nodded. “When they are ready. And maybe you can help me with couple of them!” the younger man smiled crookedly and Seungcheol felt the same content and warm feeling overwhelm his chest, and he knew he would never break that heart. He opened his mouth but there was suddenly a furious ring of bell and both of them snapped their heads towards the door. They listened for a moment and then Mingyu was by the door, looking frantic.  
“Jihoon, it’s your brother… do I let him in or what?”  
The ring of bell got more rapid and now it was accompanied by knocks.  
“Fuck, it’s late, this will soon be disturdance to the neighbors, “Mingyu murmured and Jihoon bolted up from the chair. He caught Seungcheol’s eyes and Seungcheol nodded.  
They all hurried to the door where the ringing and banging was getting louder and Mingyu finally pulled the door open.  
Sungmin looked stressed and annoyed when he was revealed behind the door. Mingyu was almost hiding behind the door so soon Sungmin’s eyes caugh with Jihoon who was standind the second closest to the door. Sungmin’s eyes narrowed.  
“You didn’t.”  
Jihoon gritted his teeth and straightened his posture, like he was preparing himself for whatever was about to come.  
“Yeah I did. I did the worst thing you were intimidating Seungcheol with.” Jihoon snarled. “With him.”  
Sungmin groaned. “You are a fool! You haven’t thought this through! You are trying to just piss me off but this is much more than that! It’s not just your life--”  
“This has nothing to do with you!” Jihoon barked, frustrated. “It’s my life—“  
“You have no idea what affects on my life and what not and I can tell you that the ingenious little brother does!”  
Seungcheol suddenly remembered how Jihoon had told him about his brothers, Chan talented in dancing, Jinki singing and Jihoon himself, genious in everything he had tried and Sungmin, the average oldest brother and Seungcheol was hit with the realization from where all of Sungmin’s angriness and bitterness was coming from.  
“And then you fucking deside to be a gay!”  
“Me being gay is ridiculously idiotical to use against me!” Jihoon barked, his eyes watering. “And you won't know what the reporters will ask when your musical premiers!”  
“Of course they will ask about you! They always ask about you!” Sungmin snarled. “What I think of my little brother starting the school, what I think of my little brother succeedinging scoring a hit song? Every single time!”  
“Oh god! This can’t just be because you are jealous?”  
Sungmin laughed grimly.  
“Jealous? Oh no, I would never want to be a loathsome gay like you and get a credit out of it.”  
Mingyu gasped somewhere behind the door and Jihoon’s eyes were near waterfalls now. Seungcheol was shaking.  
“It is not his fault to fall in love with a boy!” Seungcheol snarled darkly and Sungmin rolled his eyes, focusing his rage at him.  
“Shut up you foul. You are just a trouble and it’s probably all your fault that Jihoon even considers all this nonsense--!”  
“Well that doesn’t matter, does it? I am being me and I can’t help if Jihoon likes me being me and he does --” Seungcheol took a step forward, shielding Jihoon from Sungmin, snarling “ -- like me.” 

 

Maybe he shouldn’t have provoked Sungmin like that. Maybe it all was just a nonsense blabber of a simple minded, apprehensive and ignorant big brother per se. Mindless words not to be cared of but Seungcheol knew Sungmin was, even if ignorant, important to Jihoo and family mattered. Their deal wouldn’t exist if it didn’t matter. 

 

But Jihoon hadn’t expected this to happen. He hadn’t expected Sungmin to go ballistic on him and even physically try to hurt him. Those were just fits of angriness and Jihoon knew he had provoked Sungmin everytime it had gone physical but the ignorance around it was getting to him. Sometimes Jihoon feared for Chan but his little brother had reassured him not to worry. Chan would never give Sungmin reason to hurt him. And Jihoon would always take the blame and protect his little brother from Sungmin. Jihoon knew from the moment Seungcheol had stepped in that it was about to get physical. He knew from that moment (before Seungcheol even opened his mouth) that the provocation was about to happen and from his position behind Seungcheol he could do nothing when Sungmin lunged. Mingyu yelled something and Jihoon stumbled when Seungcheol tried to block Sungmin and at the same time shield him. Jihoon’s hands were around Seungcheol’s torso, holding him steadily but his touch probably distracted Seungcheol a bit and he turned his head and that was what Sungmin needed. 

 

Seungcheol staggered and Jihoon noticed Mingyu to try to pry Sungmin off of them but even if he was taller, he was still lankier than Sungmin. It would have probably turned into disaster if Ryeowook hadn’t come home. 

 

“What the fuck Sungmin!”  
Jihoon steadied them both, his hands flat against Seungcheol’s back. Hyungsik was there too, now pulling Sungmin back with Mingyu. Ryeowook looked furious and when Sungmin was pulled away from them, Ryeowook, the smallest of the oldest ones in the room basically tossed him out of the apartment, following after and slamming the door shut behind them. Jihoon breathed heavily, muffled yells could be heard from behind the door but he couldn’t make any sense of them, blood floading and pumping in his ears.  
Mingyu sinked to the floor and Hyungsik hurried up somewhere. Jihoon didn’t realize he was shaking, not until Seungcheol turned around in his hands (Jihoon’s hands sliding along his body, from back to the chest) and took hold his hands, pressing them close.  
“Hey.”  
Jihoon didn’t want to lift his face to look at Seungcheol and damage done but Hyungsik was back with an ice pack and Jihoon was forced to lift his gaze when Hyungsik told Seungcheol to hold the ice pack against his eye and Seungcheol wouldn’t let go of Jihoon’s hands. 

Seungcheol grinned at him, crooked and tired, teeth showing and Jihoon wanted to punch him. Instead he averted his eyes to look at everything else about Seungcheol’s face than his eyes: his ears (red), hair (mishaved),dark eyebrows, nose, cheeks, jaw, lips and up again. Jihoon’s eyes flickered to the eye that was covered with the ice pack: dark, purple and hurting.  
Hyungsik was saying something but Jihoon didn’t hear. He hadn’t notice Seungcheol to let go of his hand and he was now holding the ice pack fully while Seungcheol’s hand had travelled up to Jihoon’s neck and he was holding his face, wiping already drying tear stain away.  
“It is just an eye.”  
“Fuck, it is not just an eye! Never ever just stand there and –“  
“Protect you? Isn’t that what boyfriends do?”

Jihoon wailed. “You are impossible!”  
Seungcheol smiled. “I have heard.” He murmured and pulled Jihoon closer, ruffling his hair and Jihoon could swear, actually kissed his head.  
The door banged and Ryeowook was back. Mingyu scrambled up.  
“Hyung, are you alright?”  
“I am fine. And you all?” He let his eyes fall on each of them and Hyungsik hummed.  
“It was only Seungcheol who got hit as far as I can tell.” Mingyu nodded, agreeing and Ryeowook’s posture relaxed. “Okay, now tell me what the fuck happened here?”  
Hyungsik hummed, rubbing gently Ryeowook’s back. “Calm down, you are cursing a lot again.”  
Jihoon listened how Mingyu recalled what had happened and Seungcheol included his own input at some points but Jihoon stayed silent. His heart was calming down and he was starting to realize what had been said between them and Sungmin.  
“Jihoon, I need to talk with you.”  
Jihoon snapped his head up and Seungcheol let his hands go, grasping the ice pack swiftly. He nodded and Jihoon followed Ryeowook to the older one’s bedroom. It wasn’t really that different from Mingyu’s: keyboard, lyric sheets and books piling on table surface.  
“I am not going to rant or anything about provoking your brother. I don’t even know what I want to say”, Ryeowook stated rubbing his eyes and Jihoon nodded.  
“I give you credit for coming out to people via that blog post. That was brave and I can tell you from what I have seen to be posted as comments, people are supporting.” Ryeowook licked his lips, pulling his own hair a bit.  
“But I have one question and you probably guess it already.”  
Jihoon nodded again and slumbed down on Ryeowook’s bed.  
“How and when to end the deal between me and Seungcheol. “  
Ryeowook hummed, sitting down next to him. Ryeowook didn't hug him, not really, but his hand rubbed gently his back.  
“I listened in on you and Mingyu one night. Sorry about that but seriously, if you love Seungcheol, do it for him.”

 

Jihoon knew it was all right. He should end it, he should let Seungcheol go but as he about an hour later curled up next to Seungcheol, breathing in the fresh scent of showered skin, he knew he didn’t want to. Seungcheol’s eyes were closed and Jihoon traced his fingers along his brows, to his sore purple skin around his eye. He lifted himself a bit, pressing gently kiss on the side of Seungcheol’s eye. The other man didn’t even stir up; his breathing was even and heavy. 

\----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. We have about one or two chapters to go. Couple of extra chapters (I was thinking Mingyu&Jeonghan chapter and Ryeowook&Sungmin chapter). And sequel chapter. So maybe five chapters in total, maybe. 
> 
> And if you haven't got to know this wonderful bromance called Kim Ryeowook and Park Hyungsik, do yourself a favor, go and fall in love with them, they are adorbs ugh. 
> 
> also I made a twitter, so you will find my @ kinzkinss if you want to chat. ^^ 
> 
> and happy holiday season or whatever, I will try to update before the year ends but you never know. Thank you for your kudos and comments~~ <3


	16. Live tonight, live forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They crash a wedding and Seungcheol finally says his feelings aloud. Mingyu isn't amused.

The next day and decision making didn’t come. Well, the next morning came but not in a way Seungcheol would have probably wanted. He was woken up by his phone blaring his ringtone annoyingly loud. It was Jun who called to inform him that it it was perfect time to have a huge wedding crashing for the next day (because he was bored). Seungcheol groaned into his pillow. He was getting too old for all these nighttime adventures.  
_“I informed Vernon, he is in but I can’t get hold of Mingyu._ ” Jun’s voice boomed from the speakers and Seungcheol rolled his eyes at Mingyu who was staring at him with wide eyes from the other side of Jihoon (they had decided to sleep in Mingyu’s bed; it was cramped but at least warm, Jihoon middle of them).  
“My phone is somewhere”, the younger man murmured, turning and trying to locate the device. When he turned, he also pulled the blanket and Jihoon groaned when it slipped away from him. Jun laughed.  
_“I will text you the information later, okay?”_  
And that was a perfect moment for Jihoon to stretch his arms, roll onto his back, smile lazily and ask: “Can I join too?” 

And hell was loose. 

Or Jun was loose. He got super excited and before Mingyu could even try to protest, it was set: Jihoon would join them. Mingyu kept glaring at both of them during the breakfast and Jihoon looked so smug of himself that Seungcheol was sure that there was something going on behind his back. Not that he minded because this basically meant that he had more days to think what to say to Jihoon about their deal or his feelings. If he was being honest, he felt relief because of it. His eye had swelled up during the night and he wanted nothing more than just be and not to think. They probably should have had that talk but just to have Jihoon there, holding the ice wrapping against his eye, and the somewhat peacefull atmosphere around them was something Seungcheol didn’t want to ruin. 

 

Jihoon stood by the doorframe when Seungcheol was leaving to go home for the night (there was already too many people in the small apartment of Kims, considering Hyungsik was still present, his humming heard while he was doing the dishes) and he still needed to get ready for the next day’s wedding crashing. Seungcheol’s eye was purple but it wasn’t aching anymore but when Seungcheol straightened up after tieying his shoes, Jihoon still lifted his hands (the too long sleeve sliding down his wrist) and caressed the corner of eye with care.  
Seungcheol licked his lips but Jihoon’s eyes didn’t wander from his eyes.  
“We should talk. But I want to enjoy the wedding crashing with you, okay?”  
Seungcheol nodded, leaning his head more into Jihoon’s touch.  
“That’s okay, boyfriend, we should talk. But afterwards.”  
Jihoon nodded, letting go.  
“Afterwards.”

 

And that was it. They texted at the night, all the stupid things friends text to each other and Mingyu bit down his lip when he listened Jihoon to giggle silently and then in the next moment gasping for air because he was holding back tears. 

 

But the morning came, the day went by and the evening rolled in. 

 

Mingyu looked at Jihoon, who was hiding inside his huge jacket while they were waiting Seungcheol to arrive.  
“Hey.”  
“Hmm?”  
“I have said some harsh words during this… whole ordeal, but…”Mingyu smiled at Jihoon who blinked up at him. “I want you to enjoy tonight, okay? Don’t think too much of it.”  
“Where is this coming from Kim Mingyu?” Jihoon laughed breathlessly and Mingyu engulfed the smaller man inside his hug.  
“I don’t know! I know how much you care for him, so I want you to be happy as it is the last night of being fake boyfriends with him. “  
Jihoon slumped in his hug and Minhyu wailed pathetically.  
“Sorry! I mean—“  
“I get it, Mingyu, it’s okay. I will enjoy myself tonight.”  
They watched as a car slowed down and finally stopped by them. Seungcheol waved at them through the mirror and Mingyu let Jihoon go.  
“Let’s have fun, okay?”  
Jihoon nodded and they climbed inside Seungcheol’s car, Jihoon to the front and Mingyu to the the back, the oldest man smiling friendly at them.  
“Jun texted me that he is already at the venue, sorting thing out since there is quite a lot of us. Let’s go and get Vernon.”

The drive to Vernon’s dorm was normal to say, they talked and laughed over various subjects and Jihoon enjoyed the view of Seungcheol in a black jacket and hair pulled back. When they arrived to the campus, Vernon was nowhere to be seen.  
“I told him that we are on our way…”Seungcheol murmured, checking his phone. Mingyu groaned.  
“He probably fell asleep. Call him.”  
“Wait, is that—“ Jihoon’s words were cut by Seunkwang who pulled the door of Jihoon’s side open and narrowed his eyes.  
“Jihoon. No.”  
Before none of them inside the car could say anything, Vernon came into the view and rolled his eyes. He moved to push his classmate away. “Let the guy live a little.”  
Seungkwan puffed his cheeks before turning to glare at Seungcheol who smiled sheepishly, waving his hand.  
“I told you once already. You are bad influence Choi and I don’t like you a one bit.”  
Jihoon groaned, pinching the brick of his nose.  
“Seungkwan, you are starting to sound like my brother and I don’t like it.”  
“I am anything like your brother! I don’t hit people!”

Word travelled fast and Seungcheol shifted a little in his spot behind the wheel. His eye wasn’t anymore angry purple but he had used foundation to hide it (well, Jeonghan had made all the work, nagging the whole time). Jihoon hadn’t made a contact with Sungmin, yet, and to him it was okay because it seemed like Sungmin wasn’t that keen to make an approach himself either. Chan had texted him, worried, and Jihoon had soothed down Chan’s worries: he had been with Seungcheol, everything was alright. 

But as Mingyu had said, he should enjoy tonight so Jihoon didn’t want to dig himself any deeper in the matter.  
“Come on Seungkwan, I know dirt of you so, please.” Jihoon finally murmured and Seungkwan’s eye twitched. Seungcheol glanced at Vernon who shrugged. Seungcheol had almost forgotten how deep Jihoon and Seungkwan’s friendship was because the younger man wasn’t that present as Mingyu was.  
Seungkwan pouted, his eyes darting to Vernon, until he sighed dramatically.  
“Fine. Be that way then, Lee Jihoon. Don’t come crying at me when your parents give you hard time.”  
Jihoon shrugged, knowing full well that his parents had nothing to do with him anymore. “I don’t plan to.”  
Seugkwan moved to pull Jihoon out of the car.  
“I’m coming with you then, and I want the shot gun.”  
Vernon made a dying whale sound and Seungcheol burst out laughing.  
“There is already like five of us, six is too much!”  
“Come on Vernon, the more the merrier. Jun said the wedding is huge, they won’t notice. And I mean, I know Mingyu was ecstatic when he learned Jihoon was joining us.”  
“Mingyu is ecstatic about everything”, Vernon groaned.  
“Hey!” Mingyu groaned from the back seat, watching as Jihoon and Seungkwan squabbled over something.  
“It’s going to be fun, come on,” Seungcheol laughed and Vernon dramatically wailed but let Jihoon to take the middle seat.

 

Because Seungkwan had glaimed the shot gun, it wasn’t long bfore they were singing along whatever Seugkwan felt to be appreciated enough from Seungcheol’s playlist (mostly 90s pop songs). When they were dramatically singing along the lines _“all you people, can't you see, can't you see, how your love's affecting our reality, every time we're down, you can make it right and that makes you larger than life”_ Seungcheol got a sight of Jihoon from the rearview mirror.

To consider all the things happened during the less than two months, it was a nice view to be honest. Jihoon was laughing between singing the words and his eyes were almost hidden to half moons and Seungcheol felt his breath caught. It was a rare sight to see Jihoon like that, laughing and genuinely _happy._

 

And that was the only way he wanted to see Jihoon.

 

Seungcheol should have known. 

But in a given situation he was in, it took five more hours and Jihoon to be smiling up at the stage, groom and bride up there with him, before Seungcheol admitted it to himself. Seungkwan was also there, doing some improvised joking and Seungcheol couldn’t help but smile at them. Jihoon was enjoying it, he was smiling brightly and at that moment Seungcheol knew, without even really thinking, and the thought just spur into his mind.  
“Fuck.”  
Mingyu, who was sitting next to him, turned to look at him questioningly. Seungcheol didn’t turn to him, only murmured: “I think I’m in love.”  
Mingyu stared at him, his eyes widening.  
“Hyung, can you repeat that?”  
Seungcheol didn’t let his eyes wander away from Jihoon.  
“I think I’m in love. With Jihoon.”  
Mingyu was silent for a while until he let out a laugh and wail, or something in between.  
“Oh God, you two are… I just… Oh my God. I shouldn’t be this surprised, not really.”  
Seungcheol hummed. “What I do next?”  
“You ask me what to do? Oh God, both of you… you two are just… swoon him? I mean, you are practically dating.”  
Seungcheol groaned, his eyes meeting with Jihoon’s.  
“I don’t think he —“  
“Cheol hyung, you are like, the best boyfriend he could ever ask for.” Mingyu groaned, nodding his towards the stage.  
“And aren’t you two done with this doubt? I mean, at least he is done with it. Look at him, hyung.”  
Jihoon was smiling at him, his head tilted little to the side and Seungcheol smiled fondly back at him. Mingyu made a gagging sound.  
“You are disgusting, hyung.”  
Seungcheol felt something to break inside him, like a weight had been lifted and it was a nice feeling to actually be okay with the fact that he was in love with Jihoon. They were still fake-dating but...what of it? He burst into boisterous laughter because of the full absurdness of the situation and Mingyu grinned at him, his canine teeth showing.  
“I’m so happy for you hyung.”  
Seungcheol laughed, feeling light and excited about the way Jihoon was looking at them, small smile on his lips.  
“But hyung, this…” Mingyu bit his lip. “whatever you.. no, you have to say it to him. Say that you love him, to him. That is all I am asking from you.”  
Seungcheol nodded. Mingyu licked his lips nervously. “I mean… if you don’t… and this deal between you two…”  
“It is okay, Mingyu, I get it. I will tell him. Tomorrow or tonight, when I get a change.” Mingyu said nothing but fished out his phone and focused on messaging something. Seungcheol paid no mind to him, his eyes still on Jihoon. 

\----

 

The wedding crashing was successful and Seungcheol would have loved nothing more than just fall into his bed and sleep but Jeonghan had decided that they needed to have an after party, and at Seungcheol and Jisoo’s place. Jisoo himself had escaped before the party crew arrived and apart from all the tiredness, Seungcheol was happy to be home and actually have a glass of wine now that he was not expected to drive anyone anywhere. Seungkwan and Jun were already smashed and Vernon was giggling at things and Jihoon was smiling a lot and Jeonghan… who knew how much Jeonghan had drank alone while waiting. Mingyu seemed to be the most sober of them all, which in a way wasn’t that big of a surprise. 

 

It was fun, none of them were really that horrible when drunk, and they dragged Jisoo’s Singstars games into the living room, gaining a competition out of them. It was easily established that Jeonghan-Mingyu would be a team, and Seungcheol-Jihoon too, leaving the younger ones with Jun. Seungcheol was enjoying the night, his and Jihoon’s duet gaining lot of points and he wasn’t sure when but at some point Jihoon had found his place next to him. It was nice and Seungcheol could hug the life out of the younger man.  
“It’s like, Seunggie is a hugger when he is drunk. I mean, he hugs people when is sober too but when he is tiny bit tipsy… oh the hugs, he gives out the best hugs”, he heard Jeonghan say when he was burying his face into Jihoon’s back. Jihoon’s body shook from the laughter. Jihoon had been laughing a lot and Seungcheol liked the sound of Jihoon's boisterous laughter. It was like the younger one wasn't holding back anything. Mingyu who was sitting next to Jeonghan on the armrest, watching Seungkwan to dance along the song he was singing (Vernon and Jun were sitting on the floor, giggling at him and not really helping to gain points with the second mic), grinned.  
“Seungcheol gives out the best hugs right, Jihoonnie?”  
Jihoon hummed and if Seungcheol had paid attention he could have spotted the cunning look Jeonghan and Mingyu exchanged.  
“Fucking hell, we got lower scores than hyungs!” Seungkwan hollered slumping down in between Jun and Vernon, Jun protecting his drink from spilling. Jeonghan grinned very slyly.  
“How about a victory kiss from the winners? Kiss! I need to see you kiss!”  
“Eww, we don’t need to see that”, Vernon groaned but Jeonghan was persistent and soon he had Mingyu chanting along with him and Jihoon was laughing hysterically. He had pulled a bit away from Seungcheol’s hug in the commotion just to look at Seungcheol. His gaze met with Seungcheol’s, eyes twinkling and Seungcheol shrugged, moving closer. 

 

Jihoon didn’t back away.

 

Seungcheol’s hand found its natural place on Jihoon’s neck and he pulled the laughing boy closer. When close enough, Seungcheol tilted Jihoon’s face a little, before pressing their lips together. 

 

He had once or twice or maybe more wanted to kiss Jihoon but if he had ever imagined it to feel certain way… how wrong he had been with his expectations. Jihoon’s lips tasted sweet, mix of cola and cherry. When the younger pulled back and let out a breathless laugh, his eyes wide, Seungcheol lifted his other hand to other side of Jihoon’s face and pulled him back in. He felt a light touch on his chin, fixing their position and Seungcheol wanted nothing more than keep kissing Jihoon. 

 

He didn’t notice Jeonghan to cheer on them or Vernon to cover his face to Seungkwan’s shoulder or how Seungkwan actually blushed at the display in front of him (or it was because of Vernon, who knew) or Jun and Mingyu exchanging money. All he cared was to pull Jihoon closer, his other hand now on Jihoon’s hip, fingers grazing the skin behind the fabric. Jihoon gasped and Seungcheol stared at him, smiling lazily.  
“Hey gorgeous.”  
Jihoon made a face, blush spreading from behind his ears.  
“Oh God! This is fucking disgusting, I am not watching this!” Vernon declared, making everyone around them laugh and Jeonghan’s laugh was boisterous and Seungcheol wasn’t sure how or when had Jihoon actually ended up in his lap but his hands made their way around the smaller man, leaning his chin on Jihoon’s shoulder. 

 

And it was good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter feels so airy and.. idk weird but it had to be written. The calm before the storm I could say. But hey, they kissed, finally! \o/
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and comments~


	17. And you are shining

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breaking down was inevitable.  
> Being whole again needed just 'us'. 
> 
>  
> 
> aka. the ending everyone knew was coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate coming back to an old story after some time because then you notice all the plot holes and character developments you screwed up. And I have way too big thing for getting side tracked and loving my side!ships way too much. But more about that in extras. 
> 
> But hey! This story is about to end, thank you for sticking with me through it, not my bestist work but hey, finished it! Hopefully you enjoy this "last" chapter, then two extras and epilogue. /o/

Jihoon leaned his hands on the sink, staring at himself from the mirror. His eyes were wide as they could, his eyeliner all smeared by now. His face was a little bit red (from drinking, from frustration, from pleasure of kissing Seungcheol, who knew) and his hair was all messed up. He had had to escape to the silence of the bathroom because Seungcheol had became clingy, oh so clingy and stolen many pecks during their shared time on the couch, laughing at others’ antics and leaning a little bit too close. And as Jihoon was starting to sober up, his rational side had kicked back into action. He had wanted nothing more than just lean into Seungcheol, laugh with him, entwine their fingers and hold him by a hand. He could have, because that was all about the game, keep up the pretence (Seungkwan and Jeonghan were under the impression of them dating for real) but Jihoon just couldn’t. He couldn’t anymore deal with this. He had thought that he would survive one more night, get to bed and sleep it off and let it be past in the morning and let it all be a sweet memory, be indifferent until the very end. 

 

But he couldn’t. 

 

He groaned, lowering his head, and opened the tap. He let the water run over his hands, just the get something to feel in his fingers. 

 

He didn’t want to think who would be there by Seungcheol’s side after tomorrow or who would be the one kiss him when it was all over. But his traitous mind failed him and Jihoon groaned loudly, closing the tap but not bothering to dry his hands. The night had been like a dream and Jihoon didn’t want to wake up from it. But on the other hand, this dream was just a dream, nothing real and just an illusion he wanted to cherish. The kisses he had shared with Seungcheol had made him realize how badly he had messed up his life and friendship with Seungcheol. The older had been so kind to him, helped him to find his inner light again (the song sitting on his notebook was a proof of that) and Seungcheol had made him so damn happy. He wanted Seungcheol to love him now and forever. 

 

His phone vibrated inside his pocket and Jihoon cursed when shivers run up his spine. He wiped his hands in his pants before fishing the phone out from his back pocket. 

 

His brother’s name was gleaming angrily at him from the screen. 

 

\-----

 

Seungcheol turned his head, trying to figure out if Jihoon was alright. The younger man had been hiding in the bathroom for a while now. Jeonghan was giggling with Mingyu next to him and Vernon was trying to hide under the coffee table. Seungkwan was having his own juxebox moment, bursting out singing songs from middle of whatever he was saying to Jun who was smiling cheekily at the younger man. 

 

“Hey loverboy, are you alright?”

Seungcheol turned to look at Jeonghan who was arching his eyebrows at him. 

“Just wondering what’s up with Jihoon.”

Jeonghan rolled his eyes. “You are too bushover, control your prute animalistic wants.”

“Oh my God, I’m not… what?”

“I saw you groping his butt, don’t deny.”

“I was not groping his butt! I was smoothing the fabric!” 

Jeonghan hollered out a laugh and Mingyu looked slightly sick. “I don’t want to know more.” 

“Hey, I think it’s time for the kids to leave.” Jun’s voice interrupted them and Seungcheol looked mildly amused when he noticed how Vernon had fallen asleep under the table. Seungkwan snorted. 

“It’s never—Hoonie!” 

Seungkwan scrambled up from his spot from the floor and staggered to Jihoon who stood by the living room door, holding a phone in his hands, his face blank and Seungcheol immediately knew something was wrong. 

 

Jihoon stood there like he had stood in front of Seungcheol so many times before: his face was feigning relaxed, eyes dull and unseeing; it was a mode of a facage Seungcheol so hated. Seungkwan however didn’t seem to notice, cirlcling his arms around Jihoon’s body, bubbling out some nonsense. Jeonghan had started to wake Vernon up and Jun pried Seungkwan away from Jihoon, both trying to act as fast as they could before something triggered Jihoon off. 

“Can you manage them both?” Seungcheol asked when the trio was ready to leave. Jun waved his hand, dismissing Seungcheol’s concern. 

“Yeah, yeah, I have done this more than once. I will message to you when we get to the dorms.” Jun pushed the bickering duo out of the apartment, doing a hand sign that clearly stated to call him later. 

When the door was closed and Seungcheol was back in the living room where Jeonghan looked anxious and Mingyu was biting his lips and Jihoon was standing still at the same spot. The silent was heavy and Seungcheol took a deep breath.

“Hey, Jihoon, what’s up?”

Jihoon’s seemingly unseeing eyes focused at Seungcheol.

“I was recognized. Someone filmed me and Seungkwan up at the stage at the wedding.”  
Jeonghan quirked an eyebrow. “And the problem is?”  
Jihoon pinched the brick of his nose.  
“And it’s getting viral.”  
Mingyu squaked.

Jeonghan rolled his eyes. “I still don’t see why it’s so big deal.”  
Seungcheol nodded. “Yeah, and nothing bad came out of singing there, the bride was more than happy. And—“  
“Well I am not some mediocre rapper with some mediocre good-looking crew or whatever!” Jihoon snapped, stomping his feet and Mingyu slode deeper into the couch, like he was trying to hide behind the cushion. Seungcheol stared at Jihoon and Jeonghan dared to snort in his amusement. 

“Did you just…?”

“I think he did.”

“God, can you two just fuck off?” Jihoon roared but Seungcheol wasn’t having any of it. 

“Isn’t this the same than when your brother bullied us with the threat of publishing our photos?”

“No. I don’t fucking care if people know I’m gay and dating the most ridiculous man ever but for the love of god, wedding crashing isn’t something I want in my resume,” Jihoon mocked “I mean, it’s not that illegal but could be seen as a theft of service or something and I don’t need this right now!”

“Don’t be so dramatic. As I said, it was enjoyable crashing and—“

“You haven’t seen the comments,” Jihoon interrupted, marching at Seungcheol and pushing his phone towards the older man’s chest (his hands were shaking, Seungcheol noted).

“Scroll it.”

Seungcheol licked his lips nervously but took the phone and slode it open. There’s an open page of popular net site for rumours and Seungcheol scrolled the text down. 

 

__

_[+318, -25] Still can't believe but it seems to be true. Is he lacking popularity?_  
_[+2,544, -76] I always thought there was something shady about him. Heard he is also gay._  
_[+1,409, -38] He's so talent ㅠㅠ I'll always support him!!!_  
_[+929, -42] Why is he doing this, uninvited even, he can do so much better._  
_[+173, -4] I like his music but I have no respect for him, weddings are couple’s day and a crashing can ruin it.  
_ _[+196, -4] I knew he was overrated._

 

“They don’t seem that bad, let netizen talk. Someone is supporting you. And we didn’t ruin anyone’s day!”

Jihoon looked like he was ready to attack Seungcheol but Mingyu, who had stood up from the couch put his hands on Jihoon’s shoulders and the shorter man froze. 

“Jihoon hyung, I think you should sleep on this, think about it in the morning.”

Jihoon made a frustrated sound, squinting his eyes and Seungcheol realized the younger man was on a verge of crying. 

“I don’t need this! I’m already fucking stressed and I don’t need this! I was so happy tonight and this just… fuck, I just want…!” Jihoon’s eyes darted to Jeonghan (like he was remembering that the long haired man was in the room with them) and then the younger man groaned and darted yet again towards the corridor and probably towards the bathroom. Mingyu and Seungcheol exchanged looks. 

Seungcheol bit down his lower lip. “I think it’s better for you two to leave.”  
Mingyu nodded, rubbing his neck awkwardly. “Make him call me later, okay?”

Seungcheol nodded and turned to make his way towards bathroom. He opted to confront Jihoon right away but he waited until he heard the front door click shut before bolting down the corridor and try the bathroom. Empty of Jihoon and he continued down to Jisoo’s room (which was right after the bathroom), empty again. Jihoon was slumped down the floor next to Seungcheol’s bed and Seungcheol closed the door behind himself. 

“How did you know this was my room?”

“You made a tour when we arrived, were you that drunk to remember?” Jihoon nagged, lifting his head from his knees and Seungcheol laughed airy. “Oh, yeah, that’s right.”

Seungcheol sat slowly down next Jihoon, looking at him, and trying to find any traces of mistrust or discomfort but he found none. Jihoon just looked so tired while he leaned his cheek against his bended knees, looking back at him. He had his arms around his legs, phone abandoned in front of him. Seungcheol inched closer.

“Hoonie, go to the bed and do as Mingyu said, sleep.”

Seungcheol was almost whispering, his hand on Jihoon’s hair, swirling the soft wisp of hair around his finger. Jihoon leaned into the touch, into a hug, closing his eyes and sighing. The younger man knew from experience that sleeping wouldn’t help anything at all. He probably wouldn’t get any sleep and he would overthink everything. Seungcheol’s hand was now at the back of his head, sliding down to his neck, holding gently. 

Jihoon was glad his eyes were closed: he couldn’t deal with whatever look Seungcheol would have on his face at the moment. This was most likely the last time Seungcheol would hold him like this.

Jihoon just wanted Seungcheol to love him. 

“Hey. Hoonie, don’t fall asleep on me.”

Jihoon groaned tiredly, opening his eyes to finally meet with Seungcheol’s fond gaze. Seungcheol smiled, leaning closer.

“It’s going to be alright.”  
Jihoon took a deep breath of air, holding it in and letting it out in a big deflating motion, making his frame crumble. 

“I can’t do this.”

“Yes you can. We can pull through this one too. Like we did before. One last push, right?”  
Jihoon shook his head.

“No. I’m not talking about this wedding crashing ordeal.”

He felt the movements of Seungcheol’s hand to pause, only for a blink of an eye and the rubbing was soon continued, as gently as before.

“Hmm.”

Jihoon watched Seungcheol to pout. “Hyung, I can’t do this. This…I can’t depend on you when we are mere…” it looked like Jihoon stopped himself from saying whatever he was about to say, fear evident in his eyes. Seungcheol hummed, letting Jihoon to take another road. “I… it was wrong of me to ask you to… from the beginning… to be…” Jihoon made a wave with his hand but Seungcheol got it.  
“…whatever this vague thing is…”

Seungcheol nodded, licking his lips nervously, briefly wondering if this was going to be it, the end. And before he could filter is mouth, the words left it, coming out short, fast and urgent, and he knew, this wasn’t probably the best moment but he had promised to Mingyu. 

“It’s okay, we will work this out because I love you.”

And the smaller body in his arms tensed and the air around them turned to awkward.

“No you don’t Seungcheol hyung.”

Jihoon’s voice was so small: he was hiding behind the façade, Seungcheol realized. Jihoon tried to pull away from his touch (like it was suddenly burning him) and Seungcheol noted the younger one wasn’t anymore looking at him. Seungcheol groaned when Jihoon managed to escape from his hug but Seungcheol reached out and got a hold of Jihoon’s arm. 

“Jihoon, hey Jihoon…” Seungcheol coaxed, pulling Jihoon closer again, into his lap.

“You can’t say that, you…”Jihoon whispered, his eyes yet again wide, trying to find a way out by looking anywhere but at Seungcheol. This ridiculous man in front of him couldn’t love him like he loved him, right? This had to be a dream or something.

Seungcheol hold him tightly. 

“Yes I can. I told you I will stick with you.”

Jihoon felt the burn in his lungs. Of course, the deal, it was because of the deal, for the responsibility that made Seungcheol say he loved him. 

“No, no, no… I can’t do it. I’m not going to make you stick with me, that was the plan if you... if you…”

Seungcheol sighed, caressing Jihoon’s hair. Jihoon was breathing heavy, words getting caught somewhere between his inhales but he wasn’t anymore trying to escape from Seungcheol’s hold. Seungcheol was surprised how calm he himself was considering how Jihoon was trying to deny his feelings for the younger man. He remembered the time when they had been sitting in the dance studio, both anxious and ready to lash out but now, it seemed like both of them were ready to take whatever was to come. Seungcheol at least himself was peace with the fact that he wanted to be there for Jihoon. And maybe Jihoon, somewhere deep down, wanted the same, hence the immobility. 

Seungcheol pulled Jihoon closer, his hands circling around the smaller body, rubbing gently at Jihoon’s back.

“Okay, if you don’t accept my feelings in the name of the deal we are under…so maybe we could…” 

Jihoon stared at him with wide eyes. 

“We could?” 

“We could break the deal and…”

“And?”

Their voices were nothing but whispers; the air between them mixing together and Seungcheol could feel the nervous puffs of Jihoon’s breath against his skin, the younger man’s eyes sparkling with something Seungcheol could probably call hope. To Seungcheol it felt like they were both waiting for the other one to say the needed words but who would take the leap of fate? Seungcheol’s thumbs wiped the silent tears away from Jihoon’s cheeks and the younger one blinked hard.

“God, am I crying? Oh fuck…”

Seungcheol laughed airy, pressing his lips against Jihoon’s, hard and demanding. Jihoon stared up at him when he pulled back and Seungcheol smiled, all confident and crooked.

“And you could consider my words again so that I didn’t have to stop kissing you.”

Jihoon let a rigid breath out of his lungs, his hands gripping almost painfully on Seungcheol’s shoulders. 

“What?”

“I mean if you let me.” Seungcheol had Jihoon’s head between his hands, squeezing gently. 

“If you let me be your boyfriend for real this time.”

Seungcheol had a moment of doubt, right there and then. Then Jihoon let out a small fragment of a laugh, his lips curving into a pleased smile, his eyes getting blurred by the tears. His next words were like magic to Seungcheol’s ears.

“Be my real boyfriend.”

 

\----

 

It was a great feeling, to have Jihoon in his arm and not to think if it was proper or not when there was just the two of them. He could hug and kiss and caress Jihoon’s hair all the wanted without thinking crossing any lines and it felt so damn good. 

They had made it back to the living room because Jihoon’s phone had informed of new messages from his brother and the family’s PR-person by ringing loudly so Jihoon had had to act like a proper member of the Lee family for a while. Seungcheol had stayed close and given reassuring smiles here and there to calm the younger man. 

And after the last phone call with who ever there was at the other end, Jihoon had switched his phone off and put it down on the table and crawled up next to Seungcheol on the couch. Seungcheol had welcomed him and now they were seated next to each others, Jihoon’s legs thrown over Seungcheol’s and Jihoon was snuggling comfy to his side, Seungcheol’s arms around him. 

Seungcheol had been caressing Jihoon’s side slowly, occasionally drawing random patterns on the low of Jihoon’s back. Once or twice Jihoon shivered under his touch but no words were said between them: there was no need, silence was enough. Seungcheol leaned his cheek against Jihoon’s head, his fingers graced the skin near the hem of the shirt and Jihoon’s body trembled under his touch. Seungcheol hummed, keeping his eyes closed and just enjoyed the feeling of Jihoon’s skin against his fingertips. Jihoon moved his legs awkwardly.

“Are your legs getting numb?” Seungcheol murmured, his hand leaving Jihoon’s side and gently massaging Jihoon’s thigh.  
Jihoon groaned.

“Seungcheol, if you keep touching me like that...” Jihoon wiggled his legs impatiently. 

Seungcheol barked out a laugh, his hand stopping for a moment but then he just slid it higher on Jihoon’s thigh. Jihoon swatted his hand annoyed. 

“But I just got my hands on you,” Seungcheol whined, pressing his nose against Jihoon’s cheek, his lips ghosting over the skin. Jihoon laughed breathlessly.

“And I assume you aren’t stopping.”

Seungcheol hummed, leaning back to catch Jihoon’s eyes. 

“Do you want me to stop? I’m no brute, if you say no, it is no.”

Jihoon groaned. “Not that I’m against it but, come on, you are like my first boyfriend ever… so…”

Seungcheol blinked at him and Jihoon punched him on the shoulder.

“Don’t act like it’s a surprise!”

“I… oh, okay, makes sense now when I think about it.”

“You are bullshit, hyung.” 

Jihoon tried to wiggle away from his hold but Seungcheol didn’t let him: he pulled Jihoon into his lap and maneuvered them so that the younger man was straddling him, Seungcheol’s hands holding him steadily behind. 

“Hey, it’s fine, it’s not like I have had many boyfriends in my life.”

Jihoon hummed, testing his weight on his legs, his hands on Seungcheol’s shoulder. Then, as Seungcheol watched Jihoon’s peevish look to melt into something fond, his eyes curving into half moons, the younger man moved his hands up to Seungcheol’s neck. Seungcheol couldn’t stop the shivers from running up his spine when Jihoon’s nails dragged the skin behind his ears and then they were kissing.

Kissing Jihoon was fun. Seungcheol wondered if he was in fact Jihoon’s first kiss too, from the way Jihoon was kind of a clumsy kisser but Seungcheol didn’t mind. There were giggles in between when Seungcheol’s fingers found skin, tickling more than exciting. But pecks turned into full and sloppy kisses, tickling turned into burning and soon Seungcheol was breathing heavily and having gasping Jihoon in his hands, flushed against him. 

Their movements were slow, yet so fast. Jihoon’s fingers were trembling when he grasped the fabric of Seungcheol’s shirt, bundling it up to reveal skin. It was nothing but perfect, the way Jihoon looked at him, his eyes burning dark with want and Seungcheol sighed when Jihoon’s fingers traced their way up from his abs to his chest and upper, dipping the skin gently around the collarbones and then they were kissing again when Seungcheol got rid of the shirt. 

“Fuck, I knew you were ripped from the moment I saw you at that field…” Jihoon murmured, probably more to himself than to Seungcheol and the older man hummed, pulling Jihoon close, his fingers maneuvering their way with the buttons and soon he slowly slipped the shirt over Jihoon’s shoulders, kissing gently the revealed skin, tracing the length of it with his tongue. Jihoon was gasping quietly and then a bit louder when Seungcheol nibbled the sensitive skin. 

Seungcheol didn’t pay attention to anything else but Jihoon and his reactions to his touches and kisses. It was magical to get small whines and moans out of Jihoon just by tracing his fingers along the lines of Jihoon’s shoulder blades or kissing him anywhere and Seungcheol loved every bit of it. They didn’t really speak (Jihoon kept mumbling out different variations of his name aloud) but the only real words were along lines “touch my dick already fuck” and “you too gorgeous”. 

As awkward as it could have been, their movements matched and soon enough pants were undone and hands were busy down the front of the boxers. The way Jihoon kept nuzzling at Seungcheol’s shoulder made the older man’s toes curl when he jerked the younger man off with slow rhythm. At some point Jihoon tried to sit up better but everything was too much for him and Seungcheol could tell he was so close, his head lolling back, and Jihoon was almost falling off from Seungcheol’s lap if he wasn’t holding on to Seungcheol’s shoulders. Skin to skin was feverish, setting Seungcheol’s blood into fire. Seungcheol moved a bit faster with his thrust, his free hand now on low of Jihoon’s back, strong and big, holding him barely in piece. 

His lips were on Jihoon’s jaw, hot and wet, and Jihoon couldn’t really think straight in his urgent need to release. Seungcheol seemed to know how to read him because his movements were suddenly so much more and unbearable and oh fuck, Seungcheol just rolled his hips so slowly and so good Jihoon tensed, gasping out a mix of Seungcheol’s name. Seungcheol gasped for air, his head dizzy from pleasure when Jihoon was finished. The younger man was hot and droopy in his arms, Seungcheol himself was close too, but still so far away from his own release.

“Ji, please…” 

He wasn’t sure what he was calling for but not what he got. Jihoon’s lips graced over his neck, wet tongue licking the skin and Seungcheol tightened his hold of Jihoon’s hand holding his dick and then Jihoon bit down on his shoulder. Seungcheol gasped, so lost in the heat of Jihoon’s hot breaths and tongue against his neck, Jihoon’s name falling from his lips, head lolling back when the orgasm hit him. Jihoon kept kissing his jaw through the haze and blur of whiteness. They were breathing heavily, Seungcheol’s hand caressing Jihoon’s back. Their eyes met.

“Fuck, someday I’m going to make you ride me for real.”

Jihoon snorted. 

“Let’s go get a shower. I feel so sticky and nasty.”

Seungcheol watched Jihoon to climb off of him, trying to get rid of the stained pants, and Seungcheol already missed his warmth. Jihoon quirked his eyebrows at him and Seungcheol smiled lazily before following the younger man to the bathroom for the needed shower. 

It was the most non-sexual yet intimate shower Seungcheol had ever taken with anyone (not that he had shared his shower with many) when Seungcheol rinsed Jihoon’s hair and kissed him under the heavy rain of water. 

When they finally climbed to the bed for the needed sleep (Seungcheol had shamelessly ogled Jihoon to get into his boxers and shirt, God, the boy looked so good in his clothes) and Seungcheol knew everything would be alright. He pulled Jihoon close and kissed the top of his head. Jihoon wiggled his body and laughed. 

“God, you are clingy.”

“I told you before I finally got my hands on you without the fear of crossing any blurred lines.”

“Hmm.” 

“I don’t see you minding though.”

“No, not really”, Jihoon murmured, moving closer (if that was even possible) and pulled his leg over Seungcheol’s. 

“This is just… I never thought… that you would give this positive response at the end.”  
Seungcheol snorted, running his fingers along Jihoon’s arm.

“Yeah, aren’t you happy that you made me fall in love with you?”

“Not that I planned that but it is a great plus.”

Seungcheol laughed, squishing Jihoon into a tight hug. Jihoon tried to get away but soon decided to actually melt into the touch, fitting perfectly into Seungcheol’s hug. And with the thought of them being perfect for each others, Seungcheol finally fell asleep. 

 

\------

 

When Seungcheol woke up, he was alone but the door opened almost immediately after he thought of Jihoon’s whereabouts. Jihoon stood there, his eyes wide and damn, he looked as gorgeous as he had looked the night before in Seungcheol’s way too big shirt. 

“Morning gorgeous”, Seungcheol murmured sleepily, rubbing his face into the pillow. Jihoon wheezed.

“Are Jisoo and… the friend of yours… Won…ho?” Jihoon made a face, like knowing he got the name wrong. “…dating or what?”

“Wonwoo? Tall, dark and quiet? I don’t think so? Why?”

“I was in the kitchen, wondering where the hell you have hidden your coffee and he just paraded out of Jisoo’s room with the pile of clothes.” 

Seungcheol blinked, totally woken up by now. “What?”

Jihoon nodded, still somewhat perplexed. “And because it’s like clear view from the kitchen to Jisoo’s door, we just stood there for a moment and stared at each other. And then!”  
Jihoon made an exaggerated wave with his hands. “He eyed me up and down and grinned and dared to fucking wink at me!” 

Seungcheol snorted and Jihoon groaned. “And I was so shocked that he got away before I could say a word!” 

“Oh wow, that’s such a horrible thing to do.”

Jihoon groaned and made a face. “At least he wasn’t naked.”

Seungcheol tried to prevent a snigger from leaving his mouth but he failed. 

“Did you consider why he eyed you up and down? What are you wearing, love?”

Jihoon opened his mouth to say something but he seemed to get what Seungcheol meant and blush spread to his face. 

“Fuck.”

Seungcheol laughed boisterously, kicking the blanket.

“Did you find the coffee? It’s in the cabin above the microwave. Will you pleaseplease bring me the coffee to the bed?”

Jihoon sneered.

“In your dreams, babe.” 

The way Jihoon’s lips made a popping sound at the ‘b’s, made Seungcheol to groan but with a flick of a wrist, Jihoon turned around and marched out of the room. Seungcheol giggled and reached for his phone. 

 

**[To: HongShua]**  
Wonwoo?????

 

**[To: ChoiCheol]**  
Oh, that was fast, he just messaged me that Jihoon caught him.

 

**[To: HongShua]**  
WONWOO??? When were you going to tell me, man?

 

Jisoo send rows and rows of laughing emojis back to him, just to mock him and Seungcheol smiled fondly at his phone. His friends were idiots. He listened to Jihoon to pluck his phone into the speakers in the corner of the kitchen table and soon acoustic melodies started to play around the house. He also heard the younger one to open the cupboards and Seungcheol could count two clangs of mugs set on the table surface. He grinned and opened the message app. 

 

The music abated a little when Jihoon’s phone received the message. Seungcheol’s lips widened into grin when he waited. He heard a choked splutter and then after a moment a sound of camera shutter and…

 

The phone in Seungcheol’s hand vibrated from incoming messages.

 

**[To: Hooney]**  
Hey  
Love you.

 

**[From: Hooney]**  
OH MY GOD YOU COULD HAVE JUST WALKED HERE AND TOLD ME THAT YOU MORON

 

**[From: Hooney]**  
I’m still not bringing the coffee to you

 

**[From: Hooney]**  
attached_image.jpg  
love you too.


	18. EXTRA1: Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's see what bunch of side characters think of anything. Mainly their own stuff than jicheol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I hinted, I tend to like my side storylines way too much.  
> So here is, part 1 of extras I wrote along side the jicheol storyline.  
> Also if you missed, new updates start from chap 17. 
> 
> Funny story, Jeonghan was supposed to be totally different kind of character what he ended up being and I will probably go back some day and edit few first chapters. 
> 
> And yeah, ships here are Mingyu/Jeonghan, Wonwoo/Joshua, Taehyung/Yoongi, so. Yeah.

**EXTRA: FRIENDS**

 

**Mingyu &Jeonghan**

 

When Mingyu met Jeonghan for the first time, it was when Seungcheol invited his crew to have a jamming session in his apartment. His roommate was home but also their mutual friend was there. Something about the long haired man had drawn Mingyu in and they had chatted a bit during the night. Jeonghan had smiled mysteriously when Mingyu and others had left and that smile wouldn’t leave Mingyu’s mind at all. 

They didn’t become friends or anything. They sometimes met up when Jeonghan went to see Seungcheol (that’s what he said) to perform, he really didn’t care about the rest of the crew (lies). But they did exchange phone numbers due the group chat Seungcheol invited them both in. 

They started to message once in a while, nothing particularly exciting but everytime Mingyu noticed a message from the older man, he got super giggly inside and his brother joked him finally having a crush on someone. Not really, it wasn’t anything like that and Mingyu was content with not really making a move because Jeonghan wasn’t making any either. 

Everything got complicated when Jihoon moved in with the Kims. 

 

\---

 

Mingyu was feeling bouncy and he couldn’t stay put. Jeonghan smiled at him somewhat sweetly (could he call it adoringly, oh god) and Mingyu feared what would come next.

“You seem nervous? Come on, this isn’t the first time I visit you.”

No, it wasn’t but Mingyu hadn’t told Jeonghan about Jihoon yet and Mingyu wasn’t sure how to break the news to Jeonghan. 

“Ah, it’s just… Woozi… is living with us so…”

Jeonghan stopped right there and then, middle of the road and Mingyu bit down on his tongue. 

“What?”

Mingyu took a deep breath. “He has some problems at home so my brother offered to take him in for… an undefined time period…” Jeonghan just stared at him. “What is this? First, the idiot Seungcheol is being boyfriends with Woozi and now this? What the actual fuck.”

Mingyu rubbed his neck.

“It’s not his fault, really…”

Jeonghan gave him a nasty look and without a word, turned around and left Mingyu standing there. The younger man groaned. 

Jihoon hadn’t been the easiest person to get to know when Mingyu first met him. Maybe it had helped that Mingyu and Seungkwan never really had let the other boy to be alone and made him eventually open up to them, made them trust each other, be there for each other. Jihoon was Mingyu’s friend and so was Jeonghan but the two weren’t apparently friends so Mingyu was left in an awkward position between the two. 

And Jihoon and Seungcheol’s fake relationship deal didn’t make anything easier. 

Mingyu tried to be the outsider but he hated to watch Jihoon suffer and he hated himself because Jeonghan was acting petty and it was affecting on him too because fuck, maybe he truly cared for his long haired hyung a little too much. 

It kind of hurt to watch Seungcheol and Jeonghan to lean against each others, smiling and chatting about something and as Mingyu watched Jihoon to strom out of the cafeteria, he understood the feeling way too well. The matter of jealously wasn’t foreign to Mingyu, no, not at all. When Mingyu confronted Seungcheol about the jealously matter with Jihoon, he briefly wondered if he was talking just about Jihoon or was his feelings betraying him too. 

Maybe he could have a talk with Jeonghan later on, after the school’s showcase and make it all clear for them. But everything came crashing down and seemed like no one could reach for Jihoon after the showcase. Mingyu had his suspicion where to find him but Jeonghan wasn’t answering to his calls or messages. 

Jeonghan however surprised him by taking Jihoon in. 

 

\---

 

Jeonghan hated to be fond of the younger people. It always caused him trouble because young people tended to feel so much more, wear their heart on their sleeve. Mingyu was a person like that. He was friends with everyone, he smiled like an idiot, he loved like a fool and God, Jeonghan was falling for him. 

But Jeonghan had a pride to uphold and all this fuss around Woozi was getting him annoyed. He didn’t really understand why the short man was so liked by everyone even if he didn’t even try to be liked. Their relationship didn’t start off well at all, Woozi’s stress getting better of him and their project failing quite badly when the younger man had been their leader, Jeonghan never really didn’t get over the humiliation of that curse work and the grade they got. And as said, Jeonghan had a pride to uphold, he could be unforgiving even for the pettiest reasons. 

Some of his friends (mainly Mingyu, bless his sweet heart and Jisoo occasionally and now, increasingly Seungcheol too) had said he should give Woozi a second change but who Jeonghan was to beg for someone’s friendship if they seemingly didn’t care. 

Jeonghan got annoyed, angry and jealous and his feelings went from bitter to betrayal and back. And he did what he did best: acted possessive, grumpy and slyly nice to those he knew would not want to see him unhappy. The pleasure was short lived because Seungcheol was falling hard in love (Jeonghan could tell from the way Seungcheol looked at the small goblin) and Mingyu… well, Mingyu was just too nice. 

But the night when Jeonghan actually made an effort to confront Woozi about the matter, it changed a lot of things. 

 

\---

 

The cafe was open 24 hours in a day but because it was the night time there weren’t that many customers when Jeonghan pushed the door open. It was easy to spot Jihoon who had made himself as small as possible in a big arm chair. He had a notebook in front of him and he was staring at it, unmoving. Jeonghan made his way towards the table and sat down to the empty chair on the other side of it. 

Jihoon didn’t look that surprised to see him when he lifted his gaze. “Oh, my bet was on Mingyu but then again he lives on the other side of the town.”  
Jeonghan rolled his eyes, getting comfortable in his seat, briefly wondering why the exhausted looking man in front of him sounded so chatty with him. Jihoon reached for a pen and scribbled something down on the already pretty full page. Jeonghan waited but Jihoon said nothing more so the older man sighed. 

“I heard you got lost in the night and Seungcheol is pissing himself because of that.” Jihoon snorted but he didn’t lift his eyes to meet with Jeonghan’s. The younger man’s attitude was starting to annoy Jeonghan so he laughed bleakly.

“So. You and Seungcheol?”

“What about it?”

“Why are you here and not with him?” 

Jihoon licked his lips and breathed in deeply and Jeonghan hold his breath in, waiting, but Jihoon exhaled without saying a thing. 

“I didn’t come here to save your sorry ass to get this kind of treatments!” Jeonghan spat after a moment and Jihoon seemed to give in at that because he finally lifted his head. “I…I needed air. He can be a little bit overbearing, can’t he?”

Jeonghan knew Jihoon was avoiding the real reasons and consequences because he wasn’t meeting Jeonghan’s eyes but he let it slip this time. They weren’t that close anyway so why bother. He hummed in his agreement and leaned closer. 

“And you and Mingyu? Why—“ 

“Jeonghan hyung, please.” 

Jeonghan made a face and Jihoon crumbled, his shoulders slumping. “Hyung, it’s… I do love Seungcheol and all, but… I can’t go living with him and Jisoo hyung.”

“Too soon, too fast?”

Jihoon hummed. “Something like that. I don’t try to be there between you and Mingyu but… ”

“Wait, hold up! Between me and Mingyu?”

Jihoon cleared his throat awkwardly, finally glancing at his direction. “Sorry, I just assumed… Mingyu does it when he thinks I’m not paying attention but his fingers hover over your contact info so often that I just…”

And that right there made Jeonghan to give Jihoon a change to be his friend too. 

 

\---

 

When Mingyu saw Jeonghan among the crowd, his heart swelled because the older man’s eyes were on him, not on Seungcheol or generally focused on the performance. And when he got to hang out with people after, Jeonghan was there, whispering stupid things into his ear, offering his support to two of his favorite people (but mainly for Jisoo) Mingyu grinned widely. 

But when Jeoghan implied that Mingyu needed to get rid of Jihoon first, before there could be anything more between them, made Mingyu conflicted. He just couldn’t drive Jihoon away; Ryeowook would skin him alive if he did so (his brother had a soft spot for Jihoon). And maybe that made Mingyu to start nagging at Jihoon and Seungcheol about their deal and… yeah, it all escalated pretty quickly. 

Mingyu watched it all to be centered upon one last time. He watched Seungcheol to fall deeper in love with Jihoon and he watched Jihoon to get caught on those dimples and smiles even more. 

And when Jeonghan cheered them to kiss, Mingyu just hoped their deal wouldn’t scatter into heartbreaks. 

 

\----

 

The night air was cold around them and Jeonghan was happily humming something next to him. Mingyu blinked at him, wondering how calm the older man could be after Jihoon’s hysterical breakdown just a minute ago. 

“Hey Gyugyu~”

“Yeah?”

“Wanna taste something sweet?”

Mingyu shrugged. “Sure.”

Jeonghan spun around, looped his arms around Mingyu’s neck and pressed their lips together. Well, okay, Jeonghan did indeed taste sweet.

 

\----

 

**Jisoo &Wonwoo**

 

It’s the same get together where Jisoo and Wonwoo met for the first time where Jeonghan and Mingyu met. But it wasn’t anything like with them, no long looks exchanged, no wondering or air of mystery, nothing really exciting. Jisoo almost forgot that Wonwoo was there and Wonwoo would wonder what his hyung’s roommate looked like next day. 

But they met again. And again, coincidently or not but they met and something started to grow inside Wonwoo, a small spark always brightening when Jisoo would smile and Wonwoo would smile back as sweetly and maybe, just maybe the spark wasn’t one sided as Jisoo blushed. 

Mingyu spilled the beans of the fake relationship between Seungcheol and Jihoon. Wonwoo did his share and told Jisoo who just snorted, hoping all the best for his idiotic roommate. Wonwoo concentrated on the smile on Jisoo’s face, not the relationship of his dumb friend. They didn’t interfere. Not until Seungcheol almost ruined it all. 

 

\---

 

“Jihoon is your boyfriend! And what I have gathered from what you have told me about his family, this showcase is something where he needs his boyfriend to be” Jisoo stated firmly. “Are you really leaving Jihoon all by himself there? Are you really doing this to him? He trusts you to show up!”

It was vague enough to let Seungcheol to get the hint of the betrayal he was about to commit but not enough to raise any suspicions of Jisoo knowing all about the deal. Seungcheol bit his lip and after a moment Jisoo smiled the familiar, calm smile like he always did to reassure Seungcheol’s doubts.

“Cheollie, go now and think and ask later,” he stated, patting gently at Seungcheol’s arm. Seungcheol bolted out of the chair so fast it almost fell over. Jisoo wondered how much of it all was really faking it and what was Seungcheol’s true feelings. Because the pain he had seen in Seungcheol’s eyes was truly heartbreaking. 

 

\----

 

They didn’t know why they were acting out behind everybody’s backs. The thrill of excitement maybe but they made a bet how long it would take anyone to realize they were in an actual relationship. They were discreet enough when hanging out with others and Seungcheol was dumb enough for not counting one plus one but he had other things to deal with it, so they forgave him. No one really paid enough attention to them to think Wonwoo was whispering naughty things (like how he loved the way Jisoo blushed when Wonwoo touched him) into Jisoo’s ear middle of the crowded café because Seungcheol and Jihoon were putting up a show worth of all the money betted on their first, public kiss.

It was easy to get Jisoo to Wonwoo’s place and make love to him. 

The hide and seek didn’t last long after that, it was hard to keep their hands on themselves and Jisoo just couldn’t go to his part-time job on anything else than his uniform that was in his own place, not at Wonwoo’s. And since Jisoo’s back hurt, it was Wonwoo’s perfect boyfriend duty to go and get the clothes for him. And that was when Jihoon caught them. By accident and Wonwoo took all the pleasures when he realized it wasn’t only him and Jisoo doing the dirty the night before.

 

\-----

 

**Min Yoongi**

 

Min Yoongi still remembered the day he first met Lee Jihoon. It had been mid-summer and the heat was making everyone to move lazily. They had been loitering around Yoongi’s parents’ driveway, Namjoon spitting out lazy raps, Hoseok sprawled on the aspalth and Yoongi himself blowing out smoke from his mouth, when a small blond boy had made his way across the street and stood there. 

He was just a child, his face round and hair naturally silky and not tamed with tons of gel like Namjoon’s was. And he looked so damn soft with the oversized t-shirt and shorts that Yoongi snorted out loud before leaning forward a litte.

“How can I help you?” 

He was being sarcastically polite and that seemed to irk the small boy from the way his nose turned up. Hoseok had pulled himself up to the sitting position and smiled. “Are you lost, little boy?”

“I’m not lost and I’m not small”, the kid snarled and Yoongi smirked, Namjoon still rapping quietly. “So what you want then?” It was amusing to watch the kid to straighten himself up, to look actually taller. 

“I want to be friends with you.”

Hoseok barked out a laugh and Yoongi almost choked on his cigarette and Namjoon stopped mid sentence. 

“You what? Aren’t you like ten?”

“I’m thirteen.”

“Oh, wow, still a child in my book. “

“Why you want to be friends with us?” Yoongi interrupted Hoseok and the kid turned his attention to him.

“Because you are cool and my brother despites anything cool.”

Hoseok whistled. “What a rebel.”

Yoongi rolled his eyes. “That’s not really a reason.”

The kid wiggled his fingers nervously. “I have seen and heard you playing music. I’m interested in that too.” He nodded towards the guitar lazily out aside. “Can I?” Yoongi shrugged and nodded towards the instrument. They all watched how the kid marched to the instrument and easily put the strap over his head, adjusting it a bit: it wasn’t the first time the kid had held a guitar. Yoongi licked his lips with anticipation. 

And he wasn’t disappointed. 

He recognized the song immediately and he was pleased with the fact that Namjoon almost choked on his saliva and the smirk on the kid’s face meant that he had known who they really were, not just rebel teenagers of your lazy neighborhood. 

Right after the last notes died down Namjoon opened his mouth: “What is your name, kid?” There was a beat of a silence before a very confident “Woozi” filled the air and Yoongi could tell that this would be a start of a beautiful friendship.

 

\-----

 

They liked to baby Jihoon way too much for the younger boy’s liking but it was Jihoon’s own fault that he was the youngest of them. Jin had liked him right away, their sullen humor being their thing. It wasn’t that easy to hang around with Jihoon anyway, because his parents were stricter than Yoongi’s parents ever could. But they had songs to sing, beats to dance and lyrics to write and Yoongi truly adored the laugh that bubbled out of Jihoon when he was truly happy.

Jimin came along around the time Jihoon found out how to climb down from his second floor window and join their night time escapades. And then Taehyung just found them from the beach on one spring day and Yoongi fell in love with the gently waves of Taehyung’s brown hair and deep sound. 

He remembered the way Jihoon used to look at him and Taehyung when they were still dancing around each other and maybe, if Yoongi had looked closer, he could have noticed the inner struggle Jihoon had because of it all. 

But he never did, he lulled himself into bliss of falling in love, and maybe that fake safeness was his mistake when Taehyung had grinned at him and Yoongi had tiptoed and kissed him in the darkness of the very conservative street he had ever stepped on: his own. 

He never really did forgive himself because of it. 

 

\-----

 

Namjoon dropped the book and Hoseok haltered his steps when crying Jihoon emerged from the darkness. Jin demanded who he needed to kick for hurting baby Woozi and Jihoon’s eyes darted at Yoongi at that (if Jin had been more observant, he would have caught it and probably kicked Yoongi’s ass). That was the only eye connection they shared that night. 

They were moving, at the end of the week, better environment for baby Chan to grow up or something, the fuck he knew. They had gotten so drunk that night that Yoongi wasn’t sure what had been said during the night when he woke up next morning his mouth was dry and he had Hoseok’s feet on his face.

If asked Yoongi wasn’t sure why or how the connection got cut between him and Jihoon when the youngest of them moved away. It wasn’t like either of them wanted that but it just happened. Maybe Jihoon’s number changed and no one bothered to find the new one. (So many excuses.) 

If it wasn’t for Namjoon and his never ending need to improve and release mix tapes underground, they would have been out of the touch with Jihoon forever but Woozi was almost like a brand, a genius behind a name, so Namjoon had a contact. It was small but they got small snippets of Jihoon that way. 

You can imagine how surprised Yoongi was when he actually met the small man with someone Yoongi would have never guessed. 

 

\----

 

Yoongi let out a small gasp when he realized who the shorter person behind S.Coups was. He could never forget those eyes or cute nose, no matter how many years had passed between them not meeting. 

“Woozi!” 

Yoongi moved, almost pushing S.Coups out of the way and stopped right before Jihoon. Yoongi wanted nothing more than engulf the younger man into a hug but maybe the said years pulled him back and he settled for a smile. He wanted to touch Jihoon, to be sure he was really there, so he reached out and took a hold of Jihoon’s hands. 

“You are out of the house? Your parents let you? Oh my God, you have grown up so much!” He reached out and ruffled Jihoon’s hair. The boy in front of him looked like he was about to break into tears but all he did was to smile up at Yoongi, giving all his attention to him.

“Ah, nice to see you too, Yoongi hyung. My parents aren’t home so I took some time off. Also Coups hyung here is good at persuading. “ Ah, S.Coups. Yoongi turned to look at his fellow rapper (who looked kind of puzzled of their interactions), grinning. “I didn’t know you know Woozi! Oh man! We used to hang out a lot!”

“Ah, well I didn’t know you know each other, either, so this is a bit surprise.” There was some sort of tenseness in S.Coups words but Yoongi just laughed. “This is great! I want to have a jamming session with the two of you!” He turned back to Jihoon. “That would be awesome!” Jihoon smiled carefully but nodded.

Yoongi wasn’t sure what he was feeling. It was weird to have Jihoon there, look at him with those curious and admiring eyes. But at the same time it felt so familiar. Yoongi’s eyes darted from Jihoon to Seungcheol when the taller man moved to stand next to Jihoon and the short man jerked. 

Seungcheol was grinning. Yoongi blinked, glancing between the other two. There was something that Yoongi really couldn’t figure out. He opened his mouth to ask but before he could say or ask anything there was a voice calling for him and one of his group members was there, asking him to come, their time to go to the stage would be soon.  
It was such a shame to leave the younger men so soon but Yoongi had to follow his group member. He bid his fast goodbyes to Woozi and S.Coups and disappeared into the crowd.

 

\-----

 

When Yoongi made his way through the backroom doors, all sweaty and breathless, he caught the attention of Taehyung and smiled wide. 

“Taetae, remember Woozi? He is here invited by S.Coups.”

Taehyung gasped, springing to his feet, exhaustion all gone from his face. “Really? Oh man, how many years it had been? I didn’t know S.Coups knows him.”

“You mean the boy with S.Coups when I came to get you earlier? Mingyu and he share classes!” Jungkook piped and both Yoongi and Taehyung turned to look at the youngest of them. The young man shrugged. “Mingyu complaines about him a lot.” Yoongi rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to Taehyung who was smiling even wider, petting his pockets to locate his phone. 

“Wonder if Jisoo knows him too then.”

Yoongi hummed, fishing out his phone. He was still breathless after the gig but he was somewhat too anxious to calm down yet. He scrolled through his contact lists before his fingers hovered over ancient contact information and soon he was tapping away a message to be send. 

 

 **[To: Honnie]**  
Hey. Is this still your number? – D

 

He didn’t feel like the message needed to have anything else. If it was still Jihoon’s number, Jihoon knew what to do. It took almost a week to actually get an answer from Jihoon. It was a late night and Yoongi had just gotten home from a stressful day from his part-time job when his phone had pinged. He fished the device out from his pocket when he entered to the bedroom. 

Yoongi climbed to the bed and Hoseok moved to give him more space.

“Hey.”  
Hoseok hummed without opening his eyes. 

“Woozi just texted me.”

“That’s good, right?” Hoseok murmured and Yoongi inched closer. 

“Maybe? He doesn’t say much but…” Yoongi grinned and Hoseok lifted his arm for Yoongi to lean on it. “I think our baby boy is in love with S.Coups.” Hoseok hummed, arching his eye brows and Yoongi scrolled the message up and down on the screen. “Woozi wants to know how I knew I was in love with Tae. Now that I think about it, S.Coups and Tae have the same kind of gentleness around them.”

Hoseok gave him a look. “He texted you for love advices? Christ, is he desperate?”

Yoongi punched his arm. “He also says he would love to meet up again with the gang. He is busy now thou, but one day.” Hoseok hummed, closing his eyes and probably ready to doze off again. Yoongi typed an answer to Woozi before inching closer, his fingers dancing against Hoseok’s bare skin. Hoseok groaned. “Min, go fuck yourself. You are so fucking clingy when Tae isn’t here.” Yoongi giggled, remembering to text Taehyung too and Hoseok complained his stupid grin before kicking him out of the bed. 

Sometimes Yoongi still blamed himself for making Woozi’s life so complicated with his family. But it seemed like, as Woozi’s text lighted up his phone screen, Yoongi was forgiven. Jihoon’s falling in love with S.Coups also explained a lot, now that Yoongi looked back at their meeting at the gig, maybe it was mutual and Jihoon would find his love and eventually write songs about it, just like Yoongi had done with his love for Taehyung.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the Wonwoo/Joshua feels are because of [this part](https://youtu.be/_cc0WpYmwgU?t=45) of 17!Gingo's video, like I didn't know I needed Wonwoo/Joshua in my life before it.


	19. EXTRA 2: Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Extra part 2, with the older brothers this time.

**EXTRA: Brothers**

 

Ryeowook&Sungmin

 

Ryeowook opened the closet door and pulled down extra blankets and a pillow for Jihoon to use. His heart was hammering in his chest and a faint statistic sound was buzzing inside his head. When he returned to his brother’s room, all the three younger men looked at him, like waiting him to solve all their problems with a snap of a finger. Oh how Reyowook wished he could that but life didn’t work like that. 

He made Jihoon to follow him, the abused boy was in a need of a night shirt and shorts but even if they were both small build, Ryeowook’s shirt looked idiotic on Jihoon so he made him to switch it for one of Kyuhyun’s: Kyuhyun was more boarder than him and Jihoon was somewhere between them. Ryeowook smiled at him encouragingly before Jihoon returned to Mingyu’s bedroom. 

“Try to get some sleep.”

Jihoon nodded, leaving Ryeowook alone. Not until then could Ryeowook slump down on his bed and cover his face in his hands. His heart was starting to calm down and Ryeowook let out a rigid breath. 

He wouldn’t assume anything. 

He wouldn’t blame anyone. 

Yet. 

But he had watched Sungmin to ruin a friendship after a friendship when they had been younger and Ryeowook knew that even if Jihoon was indeed Sungmin’s brother, it wouldn’t stop him. He wasn’t sure how long he just sat there before he walked out of the room. The apartment was dark (as it should at that time of a night) but Ryeowook knew the layout by heart and made his way to the kitchen. He navigated through the dark kitchen and made himself a cup of chocolate to calm himself down. Then he went to find his phone and after finding it, he returned to kitchen. He lit a small lamp above the sink and sat down at the table before scrolling down his contact list. Nibbling his thumb he pressed the call button and waited. 

When the dial tone stopped and the timer appeared on the phone screen, right under Sungmin’s name, Ryeowook sneered. 

“You are piece of shit, you know that,” he snapped to the speakers because Sungmin was staying silent, and as Sungmin answered something Ryeowook didn’t quite register, he plugged in the earpieces and set the right one in his ear. 

_“—he will ruin our family reputation with this shit he is pulling on us!”_

Ryeowook laughed hollowly. 

“Seriously? That is your excuse? He is your brother!”

Sungmin sounded tired. _“You don’t know what it’s! Brother doing something so…it’s disrespectful to the family and I have had enough of these gay issues since the high school, I don’t need my own brother--!”_

“You disgust me. No, no don’t… High school traumas my ass, you are pathetic!”

_“Why am I even talking with you?”_

“And you can blame yourself; you are the one who answered my call!”

Ryeowook rubbed his eyes, listening Sungmin to whine without really paying attention until...

_“Is he at your place? He is friends with your brother right?”_

“No.” Ryeowook’s hold of his phone tightened. “I’m not sending him home. “ 

_“Where then? You can’t give him charity, Kim.”_

Ryeowook let out a joyless laugh. 

“Maybe to his boyfriend. Have you met him? Nice guy with a nice smile, unlike you.”

 

And with that the hung up. Sometimes Ryeowook still wished they had a desk phone: the ring of a slammed receiver had been so much more satisfactory than a press of a button. 

 

\---

 

When Jihoon and Mingyu had disappeared to the kitchen, Kyuhyun turned to him. 

“How long is he going to stay with you? You know, Sungmin keeps nagging how you snatched his brother away from him with better food.”

Ryeowook barked out a laugh. He wasn’t sure if he would let Jihoon to actually go back home but it didn’t seem to be a matter in hand anyway to the younger Lee. 

“It’s Jihoon’s own choice to stay. I’m sad that my sham of him living with Seungcheollie was ruined because you ratted about it to Sungmin.” 

Kyuhyun made a face. “Well sorry, I didn’t know you two had some shamming going on when he asked if I had seen the little Lee at your place.”

“You are forgiven darling.”

“Give me food too.”

“You just ate!”

“I’m still a growing man!”

 

\---

 

Ryeowook didn’t approach the Lee brothers at the showcase but as he watched how the younger Lees interacted with Jihoon, he briefly wondered how much their parenting had changed since Sungmin was in high school. Because there was no malice in their eyes and the youngest of them was looking up at Seungcheol with so much admiration that Ryeowook feared he would soon start sparkling with excitement. It made him somewhat happy and he didn’t object when Mingyu informed that Jihoon would be dropped to their place by Seungcheol. 

And after an hour or two he found Mingyu spacing in the living room, phone on the table and his brother lunged towards it everytime it beeped. Mingyu almost knocked over the coffee table. 

“What’s going on?”

Mingyu jumped from his voice and looked yet again like he was caught doing something prohibited: like he had looked when he had stammered about Jihoon hitting the floor and wall and whatever. This time Mingyu didn’t give him any excuses: Sungmin had been blackmailing the couple with photos or something and Seungcheol hadn’t heard from Jihoon since he had dropped the boy at the Lee household about an hour ago. 

Ryeowook called Hyungsik over (God, the boy was so whipped, maybe he should give him a change) to keep Mingyu occupied (he was sure his brother would do something stupid if left alone) and when Hyungsik had stepped over the threshold, Ryeowook rushed out, pulling his jacket on and trying to dial at the same time. He was half way to his destination when his phone finally lighted up from an upcoming call. But it wasn’t from whom he had expected it to be. 

“Hyung?”

_“Wookie darling, Minnie’s brother is with us.”_

Relief that washed over Ryeowook had him almost crumbled against the lamp post. 

“Oh God, is he okay?”

_“Yes, tired but he is okay.”_

“Thanks hyung.”

Jungsu hummed and they ended the call with pleasantries. 

Ryeowook stood there, looking up at the sky where he couldn’t see any stars; the city lights were always so bright. He was too deep in this to stop now. He rubbed his eyes. He had tried to understand Sungmin’s actions when they had been young and now too, but it was just too much. Maybe it was just a matter of the oldest brother’s pride or whatever that had made Sungmin so bitter in life. But that didn’t justify Sungmin to act violently and that was where Ryeowook drew the line. 

 

\---

 

Ryeowook jumped forward and reached for Sungmin. Hyungsik and Mingyu had gotten him away from the couple and Ryeowook tossed the oldest Lee out of the apartment. Sungmin didn’t really object, he just let himself be pushed out and Ryeowook slammed the door shut behind them.

“Sungmin, what the fuck! You can’t come into my house and start hitting people!” 

Sungmin opened his mouth to answer but Ryeowook didn’t let him. The Kim had never really let him explain and Sungmin wondered if it was too late now. 

“It is not the matter of you! It’s Jihoon’s life and he can live it as he feels like!” Ryeowook snapped. “Stop being a brick and support him.”

“How can I? He ruins everything, he is--!”

“Everything you are not?” Ryeowook hollered, raising his hands. “God, you are as selfish and shallow as always, hyung.”

Sungmin hated when Ryeowook called him that. They used to have so much better relationship but the little things kept nibbling it away as the time went by and they grew older. 

“He is your brother for fuck’s sake. Why you have problems with Jihoon but not with Jinki? Like what kind of bullshit is that?”  
Sometimes Sungmin wondered the same. But maybe because Jinki was doing his job very well as a kind and well-behaving little brother where as Jihoon had always been a bit of a trouble. That’s probably what you get being the youngest for so long. 

“Let Jihoon be the gay of the family. Like, you are already set to be a parent, a grandchild guaranteed.”

Sungmin blinked at the snappy man in front of him.

“How you know about that?”

Ryeowook rolled his eyes. “I met Saeun at the market one day. God, how you scored a wife that sweet when you are so imbecile.” Ryeowook took a deep breath. “Did you know she drove Chan to the event your oh so gay brother outed himself to the general public earlier?”

“What?”

“Yeah, she was excited. I think she was actually in there while Chan waited in the car. They had been planning it since Jihoon informed Chan about it.”   
Sungmin was breathing heavily, his hands limp against his body and Ryeowook took a step forward.

“Go home and… I don’t know, think maybe.” 

And with that Ryeowook turned around and stomped back inside the apartment. 

 

\----

 

Maybe this all would end well and maybe Sungmin should accept Jihoon’s choices in life. Maybe the world had changed around him. He had thought, ages ago, that it was his fault that Jihoon had made friends with the rebellious boys down the street of their old house. But that had been Jihoon who had befriended them, not Sungmin telling him to do so: it had been Jihoon’s own choice. Anyway, those boys hadn’t been something their parents approved of, so Sungmin had listened to his mother to whine about them, his father to despite them and how everything about them had been just so wrong. 

Sungmin had cared maybe a little too much of what people around him talked about and he had acted like he was trying to please everyone around for whole of his life. And suddenly, there had been a little brother to oppose everything he had kept sacred and righteous. He had tried to keep it all under the control but it was no use. 

And Sungmin let it go. 

For once he decided not to bother. Maybe that had been issues since the beginning, maybe he thought too much into things that weren’t truly ever under his control. When he asked, Saeun and Chan admitted the fact that they had been actually been there to meet Jihoon, Chan looking somewhat guilty at first but when he had seen his brother’s defeated demeanor, his eyes had sparked up again. 

“Saeun actually filmed parts of their performance. You can see them if you want.”

Sungmin didn’t want. Not at that moment. But when he woke up next morning, he asked if he could see the videos. Saeun smiled at him and leaned against his shoulder while they watched the clips. 

Sungmin had seen his brother to perform before but there was something so much more in these and the way Jihoon’s eyes lit up when his gaze was met with the rapper Sungmin so despised. 

“Saeun, am I a horrible brother?”

His wife smiled fondly at him and shook her head. “No darling, you are just lost. Jihoon is still Jihoon even if he happens to love a boy. And I think he could have picked even worse, Seungcheol is so sweet.” Saeun back tracked one of the videos and let it roll. Sungmin watched how she had focused at Seungcheol when it had been his part to rap. 

“Look. He looks at your brother the same way you look at me. It’s love.”

And for once Sungmin’s mind was at the peace. 

But it didn’t last long and he was so thankful for Saeun to be there with him when the PR-lady called the next night. 

“What the hell was he thinking?” Sungmin cursed, rolling down the netizen comments. Saeun was rubbing his back gently. 

“Probably nothing. He is still a young man with a collage degree to finish, those kind of boys don’t think”, she laughed a little and Sungmin closed his eyes. 

“I should probably call him.”

“Do you want me to--?”

“Stay. Please.”

And Saeun stayed, rubbing his back when he was about to raise his voice to Jihoon, gently helping him to get through the phone call without losing his temper. It was nerve wracking hours but when Sungmin finally put the phone down, he was much more pleased with himself than he had ever been. 

Maybe his parents had brain washed him to believe that the reason they had moved was because their parents didn’t want to expose Jihoon (or baby Chan) more to the boy across the street: the Min boy had been seen kissing a boy.


	20. EPILOGUE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snippets of Jicheol life afterward. 
> 
> This is sappy af.

**SNIPPETS 1#: Family**

 

Seungcheol was a nervous mess when Saeun actually let him hold the small bundle of human being in his hands. The very fragile baby wasn’t the only reason Seungcheol was a nervous mess. He could still feel Jihoon’s father’s gaze on him, almost like daring him to drop the precious grandchild. Saeun smiled at him, her hand caressing gently the baby’s head. 

“You are doing great.”

“Am I really? I think their father will skin me alive after this is over.”

Saeun laughed. “Don’t be so dramatic. He didn’t rip off your arm when you shook his hand, right?” Seungcheol wasn’t sure if the woman in front of him was joking or not but someone was calling for Saeun and she smiled one last to Seungcheol before darting towards the caller, leaving Seungcheol almost panicing with the baby. He could have kissed even Sungmin if the older man would come and get the baby but he was nowhere to be seen.

Then he felt Jihoon’s touch against his back and everything felt so right at that moment.

“You looked like you needed to be saved.”

“Take the baby, please.” 

Jihoon snorted and did nothing to take the suddenly moving bundle of human from Seungcheol. 

“Why are you all torturing me so much?” the older of them wailed and Jihoon just rolled his eyes, his hand thou never leaving Seungcheol’s back. The baby in his arms whined. “Oh God, it’s going to cry, isn’t she?” Jihoon hummed. “She might be dreaming.” 

Seungcheol licked his lips nervously before turning to look at his boyfriend and his breath hitched a bit. Jihoon had the fondest look on his face as he looked down at his niece, his fingers gently tucking at the small hand. And they both probably hold their breaths as the baby pouted in her sleep and gently curled her hand around Jihoon’s finger. 

They just stood there, unmoving and looking down at the baby who was soon to be named. Seungcheol felt Jihoon to lean more into his side and the shorter man’s hair tickled Seungcheol skin when Jihoon leaned his head properly against his shoulder. 

“Even if babies are cute and all, we aren’t getting any.”

Jihoon snorted. “Agreed. Let’s be the craziest uncles she could ever ask for.”

Seungcheol grinned, nodding and Sungmin was suddenly there, asking what they were up to, he didn’t like the look on Jihoon’s face. 

Seungcheol was more than happy to hand over the baby to her father and get his hands on his boyfriend. Jihoon laughed when Seungcheol intertwined their fingers together. They watched the naming ceremony to progress without troubles and soon baby Yoona was crying in the hands of his father. 

Everyone seemed to be in a good mood and Seungcheol felt himself to relax too. It was such a surreal situation to be introduced to the family for the second time, because the first time had been such a disaster at Sungmin and Saeun’s wedding. It wasn’t like the Lee brothers’ parents hadn’t seen him before: he had been a frequent visitor past ten months because Chan had wanted him to help him with school projects.

Jihoon got swept away by his uncle maybe, Seungcheol wasn’t sure and he was left alone and suddenly the anxiety was back. He tried to smile politely to aunts walking past and grin at nieces or whatever (oh god why the Lee family was so fucking big) and then Sungmin was there, offering a glass of champagne to him.

“Let’s cheers, brother-in-law.”

Seungcheol choked on air and Sungmin snorted. “I know our parents will take time to actually be okay with the two of you but. You are probably the best thing that has happened to my brother.” Seungcheol licked his lips, nodding and not really wanting to take a sip from his drink because of the fear of sputtering it all over Sungmin, so he waited the older man to continue.

”Treat him well or else.” Seungcheol blinked at Sungmin’s offered hand.

“Welcome to this crazy family, Choi Seungcheol.”

 

**SNIPPET 2# Double dates**

 

Jihoon did like going on dates with Seungcheol now that he could actually enjoy them and not to stress over the tomorrow or conceal his feelings. He loved the way they had fun and it was great. What Jihoon didn’t like was the double dates thou. He hated double dates with passion but Seungcheol had some sort obsession towards them now that there’re so many couples around them. 

Like who the fuck wanted to share their precious time with someone they loved with someone else? Wasn’t dates supposed to be the pair’s own time or something? But here Jihoon was, sipping his wine when Jeonghan and Seungcheol engaged in some sort of teasing debate while Mingyu hoarded the food. Jihoon hated the double dates with the duo the most because it wasn’t anything like a date, it was like a normal outing. With Jisoo and Wonwoo they actually did date-like things and Jihoon could even enjoy those because Wonwoo was smart and his humor as dry as Jihoon’s so they hit off pretty well. But those didn’t feel like dates either, because it felt like he was getting to know more Wonwoo or Jisoo than to know Seungcheol. 

Jihoon’s musings were interrupted by a loud barf of Mingyu. 

Fuck he was going to kill every single person in the table. Luckily to him it was only for the dinner, he could lure Seungcheol into an ice cream parlor and have his sweet time with his boyfriend. Jihoon just didn’t understand the appeal of the double dates. Okay, maybe then if someone needed someone to watch over their early date or whatever but still.  
Ice cream dates were his favorites, it made them always so happy and giggly so it wasn’t hard to lure Seungcheol in the nearest ice cream parlor but his luck was out of the touch today. But luckily to Jihoon, the couple they met with was a pleasant one.

Jihoon watched as Taehyung asked Seungcheol about Jisoo and tuned out their conversation. Yoongi quirked his eyebrow at him. “Why are you so sour?” “I hate double dates. “ Yoongi didn’t even blink, he just laughed happily, licking his spoon, what a mesmerizing movement. “You have been just on bad double dates.” “Can they even be good?”  
Yoongi hummed, his eyes now moving to the other two. “Watch me.” 

Jihoon’s eyes followed as Yoongi moved past him to Taehyung, dipping his spoon into the ice cream, offering it to the taller man. Taehyung’s eyes lit up and he took the offered treat: he opened his mouth and Yoongi fed him. Jihoon heard him to ask what Seungcheol was having and had he already tasted Jihoon’s ice cream. And suddenly Taehyung was telling a story of Jihoon loving vanilla and Jihoon was actually impressed that Taehyung remembered his favorite flavor. And after a blink of an eye, he was sharing his ice cream with Seungcheol who was asking what else he liked. Jihoon learned Seungcheol loved cherry jubilee. 

Jihoon wasn’t sure what kind of magic Yoongi and Taehyung used but they ended up buying bunch of different flavors and sharing them by the river, Seungcheol feeding him and wait, was that touch a show of affection? And now he was smooching with him? What was going on here? Jihoon found himself laughing and having good time. What surprised him even more was the fact that he was enjoying his time with Seungcheol, not with Taehyung and Yoongi. They were there yes, but not really, Jihoon’s attention was on Seungcheol and Seungcheol’s attention was on him, what a fucking sorcery the other couple was using? 

When it got too cold to be outside, ice creams long gone into their stomachs, Jihoon confronted Yoongi when Seungcheol got distracted by Taehyung. 

“What the fuck, hyung?!” 

Yoongi just smirked at him. “Did you enjoy or _did you enjoy_ this double date?” Jihoon gaped at him before his face broke into a grin. “I loved it. How? Seungcheol never pays this much attention to me if we share a date with someone!” Yoongi just hummed, keeping his secrets to himself. “It’s a talent.”

“Oi! What are you two whispering about?” Taehyung laughed when he noticed the other two to be behind them and Jihoon’s eyes met with Seungcheol’s who looked a bit pouty.  
Yoongi hummed.

“We were discussing whose ass is better.”

Jihoon choked on air and Seungcheol made also some sort of noise of bafflement but Taehyung just laughed, his mouth widening and grin shining. “Hopefully mine is winning!” Yoongi’s eyes were sparkling with mishap when he moved to stand next to the taller men. “Jihoon likes it rounder thou.” And then Yoongi made a show to look at Seugncheol and bashfully wink at him. 

“Yoongi hyung!” Jihoon cried, hurrying to them and he was happy to note that Seungcheol was also blushing.  
Okay, Jihoon had to take back his words: he did still hate double dates, sure, but with Yoongi and Taehyung, he could try to enjoy them. If all their shared dates would end up him up against the wall afterwards, his hands on Seungcheol’s ass and the older man kissing him senselessly, he could enjoy them. Oh, what a sweet taste that ice cream was.

 

**SNIPPET 3# Graduation**

 

Seungcheol was staring at ceiling of his room, Jihoon’s hair tickling his chin. It was quiet, the morning was slow and the sun was up but not yet too up to blind Seungcheol through the cap between the curtains. Seungcheol couldn’t see it but his floor was a mess of clothes and his graduation robe, oh his mother would kill him if it got too wrinkled but Seungcheol didn’t feel like getting up yet, Jihoon’s warmth lulling him into a sleepy bliss.

His graduation party had been wild. It had been a relief to finally graduate and have a degree and what was more amazing, was the fact that Seungcheol got a job waiting. He had done his final project for a small company nearby and they had offered him a job as a mentor for their trainees. It would be fun, well-paid and he could still do his rap gigs whenever he wanted. He had said yes.

Seungcheol listened to someone to move around the otherwise silent apartment, probably Jisoo. Or Wonwoo. Or whoever had crashed their couch, Seungcheol wasn’t sure how many people were waiting for them on the other side of the door, his attention had been fully on Jihoon on the night before. And damn he loved to wake up like this, Jihoon all but draped around him. His fingers traced Jihoon’s shape on shoulders slowly.

Jihoon hummed sleepily. “God, you are so sappy.”

“But I haven’t said a thing!” Seungcheol rasped out and Jihoon opened one of his eyes to peer at him. 

“But you were thinking.”

Seungcheol laughed airy and squished the smaller man. 

“You can’t blame me. I would love to wake up like this every day.”

Jihoon just groaned, rolling his eyes and trying to pull himself up but Seungcheol didn’t let him.

“Come one Cheol, not everyone has a day off. I have afternoon class.”

Seungcheol groaned but slowly let Jihoon escape the warmness of the bed. He watched through half-closed eyes Jihoon to get dressed. When Jihoon was done doing his hair Seungcheol hummed.

“Can you bring me coffee?”

“In your dreams.”

“So cruel is the world.”

“Dream on.”

With a flying kiss Jihoon moved out of the room, leaving Seungcheol wailing after him. It was their thing really, nothing mean, just typical morning with grumpy Jihoon. But sometimes Seungcheol wished Jihoon would stay in bed with him without hurries to get back home or to school or whatever. He might have been a bit selfish but he truly wished Jihoon would move in with him. He knew Jisoo and Wonwoo were considering moving in together but that was still under a discussion anyway.  
Well, maybe, like Jihoon had said, he should keep on dreaming. 

Seungcheol was contemplating with himself if he really needed the coffee or if he wanted to bury himself more into the warmness of the pillows when he heard the door to open again.

“Did you—!” Seungcheol gasped when he realized that his boyfriend was in fact holding two cups of coffee in his hands.

“I thought you might like the idea of coffee in bed.”

“Am I still dreaming?” Seungcheol gasped, sitting up and Jihoon offered the other cup to him with a smile. 

“Happy graduation.”

“I thought last night was the happy graduation.” 

“I can surprise you whenever I want.”

“Oh keep surprising me, yes.” Seungcheol moaned around the rim of the mug, the coffee smelling so good. Jihoon snorted. Then the other man licked his lips and Seungcheol’s eyes widened. 

“You are not done?”

Jihoon shook his head, shifting a bit and reaching for something from his pocket. He held something inside his fist before lifting his hand up at the level of Seungcheol’s face.

“Don’t fucking drop that coffee all over yourself” was the only warning Seungcheol got before Jihoon opened his fist and Seungcheol watched a set of keys to gleam in the morning sun against Jihoon’s palm. 

“This might be sudden but Jisoo and Wonwoo were wondering if they could stay here but they didn’t want to kick you out so my father has this small condo down town and I kind of… we can go check it out if you want.” 

Seungcheol blinked at him. And blinked some more. Jihoon shifted awkwardly. “So, what you say?”

“Holy… for real? You aren’t joking here, are you?”

Jihoon made a face. “When I joke about this kind of matter? Never.” 

Seungcheol’s face transformed from a bewildered o-shaped mouth to a full wide grin that Jihoon loved so much. 

“Do we have time before your class?”

“If you want to hurry, then yes, but otherwise we have to wait after that.”

He had never seen Seungcheol get out of the bed that fast. 

 

**SNIPPET 4# Photographs**

 

Seungcheol rose from the car, adjusting his long jacket. It was spring but the wind was still kind of icy and unforgiving so Seungcheol had decided to take his jacket with him, hiding his smart casual look. It was Chan’s high school graduation party (he had graduated bit early, such a genius) and a celebration of his acceptance to the university he had wanted to get in. Which surprisingly wasn’t the one all the other Lee’s had gotten their academic degrees. 

Jihoon was set to graduate in next spring and was working with his final project. Seungcheol had been surprised to hear that Yoongi was going to help with it (because he was actually some big shot in some company Jihoon desired to work in) and he was even more surprised to learn that Jihoon wanted to keep the piece in secret from him. Which made him kind of salty but Yoongi had actually laughed at him when he had asked about the project, saying that it would be worth of the wait. 

So yeah, they both were busy with their own projects and works and they had had their downs but there had been more ups in their relationship and Seungcheol was content nonetheless. They shared an apartment and Seungcheol still loved to wake up next to Jihoon. 

Sometimes he wondered that what if Jihoon had never asked to be his fake boyfriend. What would have come of them without the deal? Would they have ever really met considering the fact that Jeonghan and Jihoon used to share bad blood between them? Would Mingyu have been enough and pulled them together at some point? Who knew. Seungcheol shuttered when wind blew coldly against him when he crossed the road and jogged across the yard to the front door. 

Jihoon swung the door open even before Seungcheol could ring the bell and urged him to come in. And when Seungcheol was inside enjoying the warmness of the house he could hear the voices of other Lee family members from upstairs. He grinned when he heard Yoona to ask if her favorite uncle was here now. Jihoon rolled his eyes at him and Seungcheol shrugged sheepishly, taking of his jacket. 

“What I can do if she loves me that much more.”

“She has been waiting for you whole morning. Don’t surprise if Sungmin has some hostility in him, I would be insane if I had to answer everytime she piped up ‘is he here yet?’”  
Jihoon grinned, taking Seungcheol’s jacket and Seungcheol made a move to walk up to the stairs. He was really excited to see Yoona again, and Chan of course. 

Seungcheol slowed down a bit while he waited to Jihoon to put away his jacket, his eyes roaming through the photos on the wall. He gasped suddenly and moved in front of the only un-framed photo on the wall. 

“Hey, Hoonie?”

Jihoon hummed and turned to follow him. 

“Why is this here?” Seungcheol laughed and pointed at the wall. Jihoon arched his eyebrows and climbed to stand next to Seungcheol and he let out a bark of laugh.

“Oh God! It’s still on the wall?!”

Jihoon reached out and easily clipped the photo off from the wall. It was one where they were having one of their so called fake dates (or maybe it had been real one, who counts them anyway) ages ago at the arcade and they were having fun at the dancing machine. 

“God, you look so young!”

“What? Am I old now?”

Jihoon sniggered, smiling fondly at the photo in his hands. “We should get a better photo to put on the wall. No secret sneak peeks.” 

“But those kinds of photos are the best! So genuine!” Seungcheol laughed, tracing the shape of Jihoon in the photo. The shorter man snorted. 

Before they could dwell more on the matter, Yoona’s happy shriek was heard and she appeared to the top of the stairs. Seungcheol rejoiced and hurried to the little girl, swinging her up in the air. 

“Who is your favorite uncle, who is!?” 

“Cheollie!” she giggled and Seungcheol was swept away to the main dining room to meet the rest of the family. Jihoon had once said that Seungcheol had managed to charm everyone eventually, even Sungmin who still muttered insults at his way when Yoona wanted to sit in Seungcheol’s lap and not his, but that was just father’s pride talking. 

Seungcheol chatted with Chan who enjoyed telling his plans and how he was ready to make new friends. Seungcheol didn’t even realize to miss Jihoon’s presence until the shorter man was there, sitting next to him when Seungcheol finally got some time to be alone, Yoona occupied with her mother. 

“Having great time?” Jihoon hummed, taking a hold of Seungcheol’s hand and squishing. Seungcheol grinned, turning to look at. “Yep, now that you are here”, he leaned to whisper and Jihoon’s smile widened and Seungcheol let him to lean against his shoulder. It was great. He would have never thought they would end up like this. 

“I know you said you will stay here for the night…”

“Stay with me.”

Seungcheol hummed. “Sure.”

Yoona interrupted them by asking why they were grinning so happily, and then it got wild: Chan commented that the look on Jihoon’s face was like Yoona’s when she got candies and then Yoona wanted to know if Jihoon was getting some sweets from Seungcheol and Sungmin promptly cursed when Jihoon bashfully grinned, his free hand sliding along Seungcheol’s thigh, that sure, sweets were reserved for him. 

When Seungcheol next day made his way down the stairs he couldn’t but stop and grin at the set of Polaroid photos hung on the wall: he was playing with Yoona in one, he and Chan were in other and bunch of photos of him and Jihoon looking way too in love with each others. 

 

**SNIPPETS 5# Final project**

When the last tones died down Seungcheol couldn’t but stare.

“Is this a proposal?” he gasped out and Jihoon shrugged, his hands were trembling, the small box in his hands shaking a bit. “I thought that…you know we started this with a wedding so why not seal the deal with one too?”

“Fucking yes!” 

 

******

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus ends my fake dating jicheol story. Thank you for the comments and kudos and support! ;w;


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